The Fellowship of the Marauders
by Guava Nancers
Summary: Starting during the Marauder's 6th year and surrounding the rise of Voldemort and the ending of the enmity of Lily and James, this fic stays true to Rowlings' works. (Longer summary inside)
1. Chapter One: On the Platform

Guava Nancers A and L proudly present The Fellowship of the Marauders. (Note: In no way does this fic have any connections to LOTR's we just thought it was a cool title . . . the title is still a work in progress) The Fellowship of the Marauders is the basic Lily and James romance with a twist....it actually has a plot! Readers: *gasp* We have spent a lot of time working on this fic, (more so than any other fic we have posted up to the present) so we hope you enjoy it. It starts during Lily and James' sixth year. Surrounding the rise of Voldemort and the ending of the eniminity of Lily and James, this fan fiction stays as true to J.K. Rowlings' works as possible. You will get to see some scenes that were only touched on in the Harry Potter series like Aberforth and the goat scandle, as well as some new ideas from the minds of GNA and GNL. So sit back relax and enjoy . . . The Fellowship of the Marauders!  
  
CHAPTER ONE: THE PLATFORM  
  
Lily Evans was watching her mother and sister from the barrier between platforms nine and ten.  
  
"Petunia, dear, say goodbye to your sister!"  
  
"Muuum! I don't want to say goodbye to. . .to. . .that!"  
  
"Petunia Evans, you will go over there and say goodbye to your sister this instant, or I will personally see to it that you are restricted to your bedroom for the rest of Lily's term!"  
  
"If it means I won't see her again. . ."  
  
"Petunia!"  
  
Scowling at her mother's stern face, she slowly walked toward Lily.  
  
"Goodbye, Lily."  
  
"Goodbye, Petunia."  
  
Lily smirked at her and suddenly looked away, seeing two familiar faces shoving their way through the crowd. Petunia, in her negative way, concluded that Lily was ignoring her.  
  
"Well if you're going to ignore me, freak, don't bother saying goodbye!"  
  
With an angry huff, Petunia whirled around, giving Lily one last goodbye glare.  
  
"OOF!"  
  
Petunia found herself lying on her back, and Lily looking down at her, laughing madly.  
  
"Oooh, Lily you horrible, disgu-"  
  
"I'm sorry; I. . . wasn't looking where I was going," spoke a messy-haired boy, who scooped up a pair of glasses and offered his hand to Petunia. She ignored it and quickly jumped up.  
  
"Thank you, but I think I can manage!"  
  
"Ah.well, suit yourself then."  
  
Petunia sniggered at his dazed expression.  
  
"Well. . .I'm sure you meant no. . .harm. . ." she trailed off, as he stared at her. His mouth was slightly open and smiling, and he was staring fixedly at . . .Lily!? Petunia yelled in frustration.  
  
"It figures, it really figures! Another FREAK!!!" She clutched her long- nailed fingers together as she watched James run to Lily and swoop her into a bear hug, crushing her breath out.  
  
"P-Potter! Let go of me this instant!"  
  
'Potter' hugged her more tightly, whirling her around for good measure.  
  
"Come on Evans, you know you missed me!" Lily shoved him away, and let out a yell of frustration as he tousled his hair. Petunia had her arms crossed tightly together, shuddering at the thought of one of them touching her.  
  
"Freaks!" she screeched, and as she turned to leave a hand grabbed her shoulder.  
  
"Well if it isn't-"  
  
Slap.  
  
"Bloody hell! You aren't Lily!"  
  
A scowling Sirius held his right cheek as Petunia ran to her mother, blushing salmon.  
  
"Sirius, you dolt, they don't look anything alike!" laughed James  
  
"Uh, well they both . . .Er she kind of . . .from the back they."  
  
"Sirius, just stop. You're making it worse on yourself."  
  
They quickly exchanged greetings, as one by one they slipped into the barrier.  
  
"Come ON, you two! I refuse to be late because of your astounding immaturity." Said Lily as she emerged from the other side, where Potter was removing her trunk from its cart. Thus ensued a time-consuming battle of strength, in which Lily threatened James with castration and James threatened to put her luggage under the train if she didn't go out with him. The scarlet train had started moving by the time they had gotten away from the crowded station and started looking for a compartment.  
  
"This is absolutely fantastic!" she spat as they walked down the length of the train, "I will be late for the prefect meeting because of you, Potter."  
  
"Ah, that's not so bad! Of course, neither am I."  
  
She snorted.  
  
"Well if being arrogant, obnoxious, overbearing, overly-persistent, and snobbish isn't so bad, then you fit the bill perfectly."  
  
"Over here, mates!" called Sirius, as he leaned against an apartment door to the distant right. The narrow corridor restricted movement, and Lily resorted to dragging her trunk down the hall backwards. Remus watched amusedly beside Sirius, as the pair took a painfully slow time to bring Lily's and James' trunks to the compartment.  
  
"Evans, why won't you go out with me?"  
  
Lily glared at him, slightly sweaty red hair falling into her face, as she exerted herself against the trunk. She wasn't pleased, to say the least, and started listing his faults with relish. The two continued to drag their things backwards, with Lily shouting at James' back. He was carrying two trunks, with perfect ease, but he could not help her!?  
  
"Ooh, Potter, you infuriate me! Mussing up your ruddy hair, trying to act manly around me-HA!-treating the other people around you like scum, your lack of manners and-and chivalry, having to watch you muss up your hair every twenty seconds-"  
  
"You said that already, Lily."  
  
Lily scowled, and with a grunt stopped at the marauders compartment.  
  
"Aren't you going to move your things out of my way, Evans?"  
  
"I am trying to breathe, Potter!" she yelled, gesticulating with her hand.  
  
"Can't you do that somewhere else?" he smirked. Remus had gone back into the compartment, but Sirius watched amusedly behind Lily. When she didn't move, he sighed and picked up her trunk.  
  
"Fine, then." He dumped her trunk on the other side of the door, one of the hinges bending and snapping open. He picked up his own trunk and walked by Lily, storing his things painfully slowly on the shelf. When he turned to come back out, he saw the head boy and girl standing beside Lily.  
  
"And what, may I ask, is going on here James?" asked the Head Boy, Bryan McCulligan.  
  
"Oh, uh, just helping Evans here with her luggage." He flashed the head girl his best smile, attempting to look innocent.  
  
"Well, I would suggest dragging that luggage up to the Prefects compartment NOW, Potter," spat Bryan angrily, "Or you will find yourself in a much more dire position."  
  
"Speaking of which. . ." said the head girl, Tawny Spires. "Lily, you've already missed the meeting. You'll have to get the information from your fellow prefects: right now I need to check the compartments." She paused, looking around.  
  
"By the way, have you seen Remus Lupin anywhere?"  
  
James cut in quickly, walking between Tawny and Bryan and shutting the compartment door behind him.  
  
"No, haven't seen him. Nowhere at all. I think I'll bring this luggage to the prefects compartment now!"  
  
With a bright smile, he grabbed Lily's trunk and threw it over his shoulder, walking to Lily's compartment. Bryan and Tawny walked in the opposite direction, and Lily waited until they were in the compartment to yell at James.  
  
"Potter!"  
  
"Yes, Lily dearest?"  
  
"I cannot believe you made me miss that meeting! Now I will start the year off, completely unprepared, and with a bad reputation, not to mention having the head boy and girl suspicious of me!"  
  
"It could be worse."  
  
"Worse! Potter, unlike you, I actually care about what others think of me!"  
  
"Ah, sweetest Evans, I shall not stain your perfect record. I'll just get rid of your luggage and leave you alone."  
  
"I highly doubt that."  
  
Lily stood silently, watching James put her luggage on the rack above the seats for her.  
  
"Now. . .Go, before I take points off," she finally spoke up.  
  
"What!?"  
  
"Go, Potter!"  
  
"I haven't done a thing to you!"  
  
Her face turned pink.  
  
"Haven't done anything to me!? Haven't done anything to me!!!???!!! Potter, I will be the laughingstock of the entire school because of you!"  
  
Sirius snuck up outside, cracking the compartment door open.  
  
"No you won't- you missed a meeting! You didn't get caught, oh, say," he paused dramatically, "snogging in a broom closet! With, hmmm, Me!?"  
  
She slapped him.  
  
(AN: Please press that little review button!) 


	2. Chapter Two: On the Train

AN: *BEEP BEEP* Ahem...ahem...We do NOT own a lot of things.....so perhaps it is easier to tell you what we do own. We do own Tawny Spires and Bryan McCulligan. We own other characters as well...but as we have not brought them into the story yet it doesn't matter. Oh...and look for thank yous after the chapter! *BEEP BEEP*  
  
In case you are slightly confused as to the abbreviations, GNA and GNL stand for Guava Nancer....A and L. :-) We are a group of four, well, we are two of the group of four, that write in genres from parody/action/adventure of lotr and potc, and now, to Harry Potter. (Or in this case Lily and James Potter.)  
  
CHAPTER TWO: ON THE TRAIN  
  
Tawny Spires went along the train, running into James again once he stormed down the hall, sporting a lovely bruise. By and by, she reached the marauders coach, and heard the sound of an explosion. She quickly opened the door to stop them from, well, whatever they were doing in there . . .  
  
"You boys better not be doing anything-aaahh, Remus!"  
  
Remus Lupin, reading a book, was sitting docilely on the seat. Sirius and Peter, on the other hand, were covered with soot from a huge tower of exploding snap cards that had gone off moments ago. James was scowling at the scenery outside. A red welt had risen on his left cheek, tinged with lovely shades of purple and blue. Remus had looked up fearfully at the sound of her voice, and now was smiling sheepishly.  
  
"I had wondered where you'd gone." Remus started to speak, but Tawny cut him off. Her pleasant tone evaporated.  
  
"I cannot conceive how two Gryffindor prefects BOTH managed to miss their very important first meeting, NOT take up their duties in the hall, AND break school rules of punctuality and etiquette-all at the same time! I could not be more disappointed, and I can only pray that others will be as kind as me! You Gryffindors are irresponsible, immature, irreconcilabliably rude, unfair to those around you-you are risking safety by simply not being there for the school, in fact it's frankly astounding how erroneous your crimes are-"  
  
"What is it with the ruddy prefects!" muttered James, and Tawny turned to him sharply.  
  
"Excuse me, Potter, but what have I done to ruin the peace of your perfect little world?"  
  
"RUDDY PREFECTS! She blows everything COMPLETELY out of proportion!" he yelled. "It was a ruddy stupid meeting, and she acts like she committed a ruddy crime! Which of course makes everything MY fault-"  
  
"Potter," snapped Spires, "What happened?"  
  
"Evans mauled me! Look!" he pointed accusingly at the handprint embedded on his cheek, and Tawny smiled lightly.  
  
"She SLAPPED ME! ME!! JAMES POTTER! She better hope I don't get my hands on her, or I'll . . . I'll . . ."  
  
"Snog her senseless?" cut in Sirius, snickering. "In a broom closet, maybe?"  
  
James glared, and Tawny rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well I do hope you can remove the hand mark, and Remus, if you are not in the prefects compartment in 10 minutes, I will personally see to it that your badge is taken away. Now. . .don't do anything stupid, you four. I don't feel like babysitting."  
  
With that, Tawny left the marauders to amuse themselves.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
Lily slammed the door shut after James left, knocking the glass out. She muttered reparo, testing the door by opening and closing it. Before she shut it she saw a figure run down the hall after a runaway tray of treats. The person's robes were thrown over their head, and they ran into a wall. Lily laughed when she saw a brown-haired girl peek from under her robes to see if anyone had seen her fall.  
  
"Alice Deere!" called Lily. The girl jumped up and turned around, blushing.  
  
"Sorry, I was just-Oh! Lily, it's only you! I thought I was in for it for a minute."  
  
"Maybe you would have realized it was me if you didn't have your robe over your head." Smiled Lily.  
  
She laughed. " . . .Think you could help? I can't find my own face in here."  
  
Lily tugged at the arm until Alice's head came out of it, and soon the rest of her was visible. With straight brown hair, blue eyes, and slightly chubby, rosy cheeks, Alice was the picture of cheerfulness.  
  
"So what's the rush?" asked Lily as they sat down in the prefect's compartment.  
  
"Oh, you know. I was in a hurry to be ready, and Frank decided to let a treats cart go FLYING down the hall . . .think he hit Tawny Spires, actually . . ."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, don't worry. Frank apologized. She didn't look too happy . . ."  
  
"Why did you do that, Alice?" asked Lily, a twitch forming in her eye.  
  
"Frank stole my chocolate frogs, and he offered to get me some. Only, he didn't."  
  
"Really, sometimes I wonder who is more immature. You or Potter." She spat out his name with venom.  
  
"Me, most likely. James is only an obnoxious prankster, while I am a true menace to society."  
  
"No! Alice, the most menace you could conjure up wouldn't hurt a fly. Besides, POTTER is a despicable prat, who doesn't deserve to BE a fly, who doesn't deserve to be a fly that is squashed by a herd of rampaging hippogriffs under a large rock that's . . . covered with sharp fangs! He is a snot-faced, snub-nosed-"  
  
Alice cut in, saying, "I think he has a very nice nose-"  
  
"Shut it. You know how he treats me! I don't care if he has a bloody perfect nose, he still treats me like some-some-some HOOKER he can pick up, asking me out ALL the time-"  
  
"What's a hooker?" asked Alice. Usually her ignorance of the muggle world would set Lily off on a lecture about anything from the function of a television to the history of the British Parliament. However, Lily was too angry to listen to Alice's comments. Desperate to calm Lily, Alice acquired a poker-straight face.  
  
"Do you want me to go beat him up?"  
  
Lily looked at Alice; her eyes were so serious that she couldn't help but laugh. Alice broke into a grin when she saw Lily start to chuckle a little. Soon, they were both laughing outright, Lily smiling mainly at Alice's good attempt at cheering her up.  
  
For the next few minutes they sat reveling in the treats from the runaway cart. The two held a contest of Get-the-Dumbledore/Merlin-Chocolate-Frog- Card-First, until an unfortunate interruption.  
  
The compartment door slid open, and a pale, sinister-looking girl with long black hair stood in the doorway.  
  
"What do you want?" asked Lily loathsomely.  
  
"This is a prefect carriage-I have a right to be here, unlike HER." Bellatrix Black sneered. Alice wrinkled her nose in disgust.  
  
"Bugger off."  
  
Bellatrix sat down purposefully across from her. Alice stood up, knocking chocolate frog wrappings all over the floor.  
  
"I see that mudbloods are easily angered." laughed Bellatrix, and Alice clenched her hands into fists.  
  
"I am no-no-muggle, Black!"  
  
"You are friends with dirt, therefore you are dirt."  
  
"Lily is not dirt! And she is not scum like you!"  
  
"Suit yourself" said Bella lazily, taking out her wand, "But I hate to see the day when the greater powers crush you and your little mudblood friend."  
  
"Ooh, I'M QUAKING IN MY SHOES!" shouted Alice. Silver sparks shot out of Bellatrix's wand.  
  
Alice didn't flinch, as was intended, but laughed.  
  
"HOW PRETTY, BLACK. IM SURPRISED THAT YOU COULD COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT GOOD-LOOKING!"  
  
Bellatrix glared at Alice and stood up.  
  
"YOU SHOULDN'T BE TALKING, FILTH! ONE CAN TELL YOU HAVE NO TASTE JUST BY LOOKING AT THAT DISGUSTING LONGBOTTOM BOY!"  
  
Alice grit her teeth and started to pull out her wand. Bellatrix pointed, took a breath, and shouted-  
  
"EXPELLIARMUS!"  
  
Bellatrix looked around in surprise, and saw Lily standing with two wands in her hand.  
  
"Bellatrix Black, detention for threatening another student and insulting a prefect! Now get out of this compartment! NOW!" Bellatrix glared at Lily and snatched her wand back.  
  
The door slid open and Remus stood in the doorway.  
  
"Lily, why did you slap. . .James . . ." He trailed off as he glanced over the scene. "Uh, hello Alice. Am I interrupting anything?" he asked, looking between their outraged faces.  
  
Bellatrix glared at him.  
  
"I was JUST LEAVING. The mudblood in here is fouling up the air."  
  
Remus scowled as Bella swept from the compartment.  
  
"Stupid git." He muttered. Lily sat down, gripping at her skull like it would burst.  
  
"So what did you want, Remus?" muttered Lily.  
  
"Oh, just waiting for Tawny to come and yell at me some. You really wailed on James, didn't you?"  
  
"Bloody twit had it coming." She said, suddenly sitting up straight and grabbing her robes. She carefully put them on, watching the creases so she could look respectable. Lily suggested to Alice that she leave, and left Remus to wait for Tawny alone; they were almost at the school, and she didn't want to shirk more than she had. For half an hour, she went about alerting the students, then running back to stop Tawny from killing Remus. Already Lily had gone through several emotional crises, and she would be glad to get to her large, comfortable, warm bed . . .  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
GNA: GNA and GNL here, bringing tidings of pointless tat that no one will read, such as...  
  
GNL: Reviewer thank yous!  
  
GNA: Aaaaaand....A short introduction to the GN's  
  
Reviewers: run awaaaaay...!  
  
GNA/GNL: *Rolls eyes*  
  
The Guava Nancers have a tradition of handing out free gifts for reviews, which is the reasoning behind the guavas the reviewers have been given below.  
  
To Morph- Our good and loyal reviewer , hello again! Great to see...or well...read you again! Have another complimentary guava!  
  
To Katla- The Guava Nancer initiation is a long and drawn out process including lots of red tape, goat sacrifices, and guava juice chugging competions. Only those who enjoy staring at Orlando Bloom pictures all day and who have a dislike for Colin Farrel have been admitted....oh and aGuava for you!  
  
To J.E.A.R.K. Potter- Hello! Thanks for reviewing! Guava for you!  
  
To GND & GNK- HI!!!!!!! I think that about covers it.  
  
Kia Santos- We are glad you like it! Have a guava!  
  
Child-of-Scorpio- Thanks for the review! And here, the last guava in our stock until the next load comes in! It's not even squished! 


	3. Chapter Three

AN: Did you really think that we bought the copyrights to Harry Potter? Enjoy mates!  
  
CHAPTER THREE:  
  
Lily sat glaring at the back of James' head during the Sorting, her just- recently happy mood completely evaporated after seeing him again. Feeling her gaze, he turned and caught her eye, glaring back at her. James sat in the center of the table, while Lily was close to the staff. Sirius watched amusedly between the two, and nudged Remus.  
  
"You know when I went to spy on Lily and James?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Guess what I heard them saying."  
  
"Something about git and despicable prat."  
  
"No! They were talking about.snogging!"  
  
Remus rolled his eyes and turned to watch the sorting again. Sirius tapped annoyingly on Remus' head.  
  
"Not only that, but snogging in a broom closet! Isn't that rich!"  
  
"Padfoot, I think you left your ruddy brain on the train."  
  
"It seemed like a rather interesting conversation to me. Too bad they didn't . . .say anything after that." Sirius snickered as James tried to glare at him while glaring at Lily. He didn't succeed. Giving up, James turned his head and hit Sirius. Sirius cringed as James hand messed his hair up  
  
"That's right Padfoot, I said you were snogging Lily Evans on the Hogwarts Express!" said Sirius again, winking at James.  
  
"Oh yeah! Lets proclaim it to the world, shall we!" spat James, glaring at Lily again. She just couldn't back down, could she. . .  
  
JLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJL  
  
Lily was raving mad.  
  
"Look at him, Alice, he's looking at me like he's a King! Acting completely superior, when he's only a stuck-up snot that was graced with Quidditch talent. I can't believe he has the audacity to stare like that."  
  
"Lily, you started staring first." Said another sixth year girl, Marlene McKinnon.  
  
"I-I have a reason to stare."  
  
"Right. And not because he was also graced with good looks?"  
  
Lily glared at Marlene, but she smiled brightly. Once she turned back to James, her taunting continued.  
  
"I know that you find him handsome! You wouldn't be so eager to stare then, now would you? He does have nice eyes. . ."  
  
"And a nice nose!" whispered Alice.  
  
"You know you can't resist the way he tousles his hair-"  
  
"Marlene, stop it!" grit Lily, but she couldn't stop the blush that came to her cheeks. James smirked and turned away as Dumbledore, in all his navy- blue-robed glory, stood up and tapped lightly on his glass. The Great Hall went silent, many smiling faces turned toward him.  
  
"Good evening, and welcome to another year at Hogwarts." The students clapped, and Sirius catcalled.  
  
"For those of you familiar with the rules, please be patient. As usual, the Forbidden Forest is . . . Forbidden. Also, Filch would like to announce that there are several additions to the list of banned items, including Droobles Best Blowing Gum and Dung Bombs, which, after last years incident, will result in immediate detention if the culprits are caught."  
  
The marauders sniggered-fifth year Filch had brought a kitten out of the forbidden forest, and started calling it "Mrs. Norris." The bait was too tempting, and after many hours of planning they had caught the cat in a gigantic, sticky pink bubble. Besides being very messy when popped, it also set off a chain reaction of hidden dung bombs in Filch's dingy office. To say the least, the Marauders were hated by Filch afterwards.  
  
"I also have the pride to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher, Professor Laura Lott."  
  
A tall black-haired lady stood up, nodding her head at the applause. She wore thin glasses over her pale blue eyes, and immaculately clean robes that fell a little off her shoulders. All of her seemed slightly too thin- her nose, her arms, her smile, and her bony hands. Alice glanced up at her, and Lott caught her eye for a moment.  
  
"She seems nice." Said Alice, nodding as Lily looked at the new professor. She had sat back down, perfectly still and unflustered.  
  
"Yeah. Better than Smitty, at least. He was a real nutcase."  
  
Dumbledore cough gently, and concluded his short speech.  
  
"Now, before any of our more enthusiastic diners interrupt me, I have one more thing to say: Welcome!"  
  
With that, delicious food appeared on the golden plates and everyone dug in enthusiastically. James grinned as Sirius and Peter loaded their plates with treats and meat. Remus had very little on his plate, though, and James glanced at him worriedly. Remus smiled wryly and shook his head. Sirius had seen the plate too, and being more of a hands-on person, slid the contents of his plate onto Remus'.  
  
"There ya go, mate. No need to starve ourselves, eh?"  
  
Remus laughed. "Sirius, half the people in Gryffindor couldn't eat this."  
  
James chuckled when he saw that Peter's plate had twice the amount, and that he was quickly making his way through.  
  
Sirius shrugged, and topped off the shapeless mass of food with a muffin. Remus rescued it from its gravy grave, and nibbled slowly while the feast continued.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
After the feast was over, McGonagall called the prefects and head boy and girl over to her. Leading them into a small room off the great hall, she shut the door quickly behind them.  
  
"I'm sorry to tear you away from your friends, but I must have a quick word with you."  
  
"What is it, Professor? Is this about the Marauders?" asked Brian McCulligan.  
  
"What? No, Brian, I am not trying to get them expelled. Now, as you have most likely heard, many unusual disappearances have occurred in the past few months."  
  
The students drew in their breath, knowing of the Ministry members going missing. Lily and Remus looked at each other for a moment, and Remus cringed at the look in Lily's eyes. She had already lost a father in a car accident . . .  
  
"Dumbledore wants you to be more . . .careful this year, as a precaution to anything happening here at Hogwarts. We trust that you will be responsible enough to report to us if you notice anything strange."  
  
Tawny tried to speak, but McGonagall continued.  
  
"Also, you must not be scared. It is nothing but rumors, and rumors are usually no more than honest mistakes. Hopefully the mess will be cleared up."  
  
"Professor-"  
  
"Let me finish, Miss Spires. I must also warn you, as a responsibility to the students and myself, that there are more of these rumors, regarding a powerful dark wizard that no one-no one can find." She sighed tiredly. "Not even Dumbledore has succeeded in finding him yet."  
  
"Professor McGonagall, what are you talking about?" Tawny finally managed. "There have only been 3 disappearances, and those people from minor departments. It's not a worry for students. And what is all this about a 'dark wizard?'"  
  
"This 'dark wizard' is known as-"  
  
At that moment, the door opened and Professor Laura Lott walked in.  
  
"Minerva, what are you telling these students?" she cried. Her robes were slipping off her shoulders, and her eyes were full of anger.  
  
"Professor Lott, I was just updating the students on the current political status. It is no cause for worry, as the students should know-"  
  
"McGonagall, these students do not need to know of it! I worked in the ministry before taking this position, and there are things these students should not be told." She paused, her eyes suddenly growing fearful.  
  
"Including his . . .his name."  
  
Bryan laughed out loud at this.  
  
"Why shouldn't we know his name!? It won't kill us."  
  
"You do not know that." spat Lott. He went silent. Minerva quickly tried to regain composure.  
  
"Now, Professor Lott, I think that will conclude this meeting. Oh! Here are the passwords to the common rooms." She handed them small slips of paper, and Lily looked down at hers. It said "Phoenix," but it suddenly wiped clear and was replaced with another word.  
  
"Remus, what is Volde-"  
  
Before she finished, it burst into flames.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
J.E.A.R.K. Potter- Thanks for the review! *Rips open new crate of guavas*  
  
Child-of-Scorpio- Glad you liked chapter two! Guavas!  
  
GNA sis- *Announcer voice* And the award for longest review ever goes to......... hehehe have a guava!  
  
Morph- *the guava nancers help morph pelt Bellatrix Black with rotten guavas*  
  
Glirean- Thanks for the review. Oh and the HPHP thing is just a divider. Have a mango....ermm....I mean...guava.  
  
GNK- Hehe later we might get really creative and use LJLJLJLJ.  
  
Katla- *GNL sneaks up to Katla and steals her Orlando Bloom doll. Katla bashes GNL over the head with a guava. Will Turner: Let me guess you didn't deserve that one either. GNL: ow....Yeah...that one I deserved. Gives Katla her complimentary guava and goes to find an ice pack.* 


	4. Chapter Four: Rumors at Breakfast

AN: We know that it starts out kind of slow, but do not worry! The plot will arrive, we just need time to get into the year first. And don't worry... Lott will NOT turn out like Umbridge. *GNL hangs a picture of Umbridge on her dart board and has fun mutilating it* And of course Lily and James will get together, just remember this is only year six.As a forewarning to you we are focusing more on year seven, so year six may seem a bit brushed over (it has around a third of the chapters, anyway), but there is a plot! Also we plan on posting at shorter more regular intervals so there is less time waiting for plot. AKA: We update!  
  
SIDE NOTE: We {especially GNA you should hear some of the lectures GNL has gotten from her!}dislike mush, fluff, and all other romantic-y stuff...alas we decided to write a fanfiction...that revolves around it.... GNA: so...much...mush...gah... GNL: Umm... GNA....you wrote this chapter GNA: I don't care if I wrote it! GNL: . . . . GNA: Just get on with the chapter...  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: RUMORS AT BREAKFAST  
  
Lily woke up suddenly, looking around in surprise. She had felt a hand shake her shoulder, but no one was there. Groaning, she sat up. Outside it was hazy and cool, the fog rolling back from the Forbidden Forest in sheets. The only one left in the circular room was Lily.  
  
"Maybe I'm going insane." She muttered, pulling out her uniform quickly. Alice walked in at that moment, already dressed.  
  
"No, I got you up before you missed breakfast" she said, checking her hair in the mirror. Lily laughed; Alice was rarely in the presence of a mirror, much less looking in one.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Oh, just making sure nothings out of place."  
  
"Frank will be at breakfast, won't he?"  
  
Alice tried to hide a smile, but it broke through.  
  
"Actually, I'm going with him to breakfast."  
  
"Oh. Well, I'll get ready then." Said Lily. Alice skipped down the stairs happily, picking up her bag and leaving Lily alone in the room and slightly miffed.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
James walked down the dormitory stairs slowly, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He had been up most of the night thinking on what Remus had told him about the prefect meeting, and Remus had looked tired himself, though for different reasons.  
  
Lily walked down the dormitory stairs quickly; she was starving. She knew that she shouldn't, by rights, feel so cheerful after last night, but Alice had started her thinking on breakfast: hot, steamy eggs and sausages, thick, golden pancakes, icy cold pumpkin juice . . .  
  
She looked up in time to see James run his hand through his hair and trip on the stairs. He looked rather tired. A quick spasm of guilt went through her when she saw the darkish bruise on his cheek. Sighing to herself, she tried to concentrate of food again . . .  
  
"Potter." Nodded Lily, and James looked up surprised. Lily mentally slapped herself.  
  
"Oh. Hello, Evans." He muttered, grabbing his bag.  
  
Lily walked through the portrait hole brusquely, and James followed her. He was almost more worried about her than himself. She seemed . . .cordial after the meeting.  
  
"Evans, you alright?"  
  
Her eyes got hard.  
  
"I'm fine, Potter."  
  
"Whoa, don't bite my head off! You just looked a little stunned after that meeting with McGonogal."  
  
"Well who wouldn't be, Potter. I just found out that the wizarding world might be in serious danger from a dark, nameless wizard, people are disappearing left and right, and that the students in Hogwarts are possible targets. I'm just chipper." She snapped, walking ahead of James. He stood still for a moment, running his hand through his hair.  
  
"Well I don't blame you." He said as he walked back to her side. He ran his hand through his hair again.  
  
Lily glanced at him and gave him a pained expression, once again walking ahead.  
  
He caught up again.  
  
"I mean, I myself didn't get a good nights sleep over it."  
  
She moved ahead, he caught up.  
  
"It's not something you should really worry about now, though, you're too-"  
  
"POTTER, LEAVE ME ALONE!" yelled Lily, in a rage, and she whirled around. Her heavy bag swerved completely around, hitting her in the stomach. James almost caught her, but the momentum was too much, and her head hit the stone corridor floor with a smack. Scared out of his wits, James kneeled down beside her and tapped her cheek. Her eyes stayed close.  
  
"Lily!" he practically yelled, tapping her other cheek. His heart clenched when she still didn't move. Thinking frantically, he leaned down and yelled "Lily!" again.  
  
Lily groggily opened her eyes, seeing James Potter leaning over her. He smiled ecstatically for a moment as he saw her eyes open, and he slowly closed his eyes . . .Yelling, she shoved him and he fell over.  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, POTTER!"  
  
"Bloody Hell! You were knocked out, Lily, I was only seeing if you were alright!"  
  
She stood up, kicked him, and stormed back down the hall. She wasn't hungry anymore.  
  
James grimaced as her shoe connected with his shin. It didn't matter to him too much, though. His robes would cover this wound, and he was strangely relieved to see that she was perfectly fine.  
  
"That Evans . . ." he said, and limped down the stairs.  
  
Lily stomped down the hall, full of wrath at Potter.  
  
"How dare he! If I hadn't woken up before he . . .he touched me, why . . ." she was tempted to go on thinking over it, and maybe scrub her face raw, but a girl from Gryffindor was chasing after her as she walked into the great Hall.  
  
"Lily! Lily Evans! Could I talk to you!?"  
  
The girl was rather short, and wearing the rhinestone glasses popular with muggles a few years back. Her hair was pulled into a bouncy ponytail, held with a sparkly scrunchie. She was waving a fuchsia quill around wildly as she chased after Lily, making quite a sight.  
  
Lily rolled her eyes at the enthusiasm of first years, and stopped.  
  
"Yes?" she said.  
  
"I-I was just wondering if you could confirm the rumors."  
  
Lily stared sharply at her.  
  
"Rumors? What kind of rumors?"  
  
"You know, the rumors."  
  
"About what, uh, Miss. . ."  
  
"My name's Rita. Rita Skeeter. Now, is it true that you were caught snogging James Potter in a broom closet by Sirius Black-"  
  
Lily's face went through an amazing set of transformations. She started out sputtering, then shocked, then angry, and finally, completely furious. Lily turned on her heel and ran back down the hall, Rita trailing behind.  
  
Rita cackled as she saw Lily's face, and stepped out of the way as Lily made it to the great hall doors. James had just walked in, and turned around at the sound of footsteps approaching.  
  
SLAP.  
  
James stared stunned at Lily, cheek smarting and mind reeling. What did he do now?  
  
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, POTTER! DO YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY OR SOMETHING, SEEING ME GET HUMILIATED!" She slapped him again.  
  
"But, wh-what?"  
  
"POTTER, YOU ARE THE MOST DESPICABLE CREATURE I HAVE EVER KNOWN! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME! SPREADING VISCIOUS RUMORS, TAILING AFTER ME CONSTANTLY, TALKING ABOUT ME, ACTING LIKE SUCH AN IDIOT-"  
  
"What are you talking about!" yelled James.  
  
"DON'T PLAY STUPID, POTTER, YOU KNOW VERY WELL WHAT YOU DID! THIS IS THE LOWEST I HAVE EVER SEEN YOU, YOU! I AM SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR LITTLE ANTICS, RUNNING AROUND HOGWARTS LIKE YOU OWN THE PLACE, THINKING YOU CAN SIPMLY SAY SOMEHTING AND IT WILL HAPPEN-"  
  
"What are you talking about?!" yelled James again, taking Lily by the arm to calm her. She shoved him off instantly.  
  
"DON'T TOUCH ME! I AM ABSOLUTELY TIRED OF THIS! WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE, JAMES! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE-"  
  
James was shocked. Lily Evans was standing there screaming at him for some unknown reason with the whole student body listening. Lily felt her eyes smarting, but she was too angry with Potter to care.  
  
"L-Lily?" he sputtered.  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
"What did I do!  
  
She almost slapped him again, but McGonogal stepped in between them.  
  
"Lily! I am completely shocked at you! You too, Potter!" Minerva looked as mad as Lily. "Both of you, come with me this instant!"  
  
She grabbed James by the ear and Lily by the arm and led them out of the hall. Rita looked as if she would burst from happiness. Sirius, on the other hand, was rolling on the ground laughing. The rest of the great hall soon joined in, shrugging and returning to their meals.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
" . . .IF YOU TWO DO NOT SHOW AN IMPROVEMENT IN BEHAVIOUR SOON I WILL HAVE TO TAKE DRASTIC MEASURES! I AM SHOCKED AND DISAPPOINTED BY YOU TWO! YOU HAVE LET DOWN ME AND YOUR HOUSE TODAY, EVANS, POTTER!"  
  
With that, McGonogal finished reaming the two unlucky Gryffindors out. Lily's face was splotchy and her green eyes were surprisingly red, and James looked completely at his wits ends. They picked up their things slowly, the silence echoing around them. James looked over at Lily as they bent to get their things sorted out. She sniffed silently, quickly wiping her eyes. He turned his eyes down again.  
  
James had never felt ashamed of anything in his life, and now, once he was simply accused of something he didn't do, and he didn't even know what it WAS, he felt horrible. Of course, he still was angry with Evans, but he was scared by her show of hatred. He didn't know someone could despise him that much . . .  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
Thoughts like these kept occurring to him as he sat in charms, a much calmer Lily doing perfect Redundium Charms. The leprechaun money they had been given kept falling, over and over and over . . .  
  
"Redundius." Said James tiredly, and his coin half-heartedly flopped on the table, instead of jumping up and falling in a perfect imitation of its previous action.  
  
Flitwick looked over at James horrible charm, and tutted.  
  
"Mr. Potter, you charms seem to have gotten worse over the summer, if that is possible."  
  
"Oh . . .sorry, professor. I'm a bit tired."  
  
Professor Flitwick's cheerful face softened. Besides hearing of the uproar in the Great Hall, James was looking the worse for wear. He had bags under his eyes, and there was a nasty bruise on his cheek.  
  
"Well, be sure to be prepared for next class."  
  
"Yes, professor."  
  
Lily's coin was now doing spectacular aerobics in the air. She had flipped the coin and now it repeated itself, over and over and over . . .  
  
Sirius watched as James head hit the desk, yanking him up by the hair. His head fell down again.  
  
"Jamesey, its only the first day. How did you manage to be wiped out?"  
  
"lphhhiggangghhhhdrrokkkwrrshhhhds."  
  
"Riiiight . . .now what was the part about the Feral Monkey?"  
  
James groaned into the wooden desk.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
Alice had followed Lily back to the common room, not wanting to upset her. Her smile seemed pained, and her step had no spring. Her huge bag of books hung limply from her shoulder as she walked, and she kept yawning.  
  
"Lily?"  
  
"WHAT-Oh, Alice. I'm sorry . . .I'm just so tired . . ." she yawned, dropping her bag in the common room. "I've never had such a long day."  
  
Alice shrugged, and glanced at her watch.  
  
"Lily, I'm meeting Frank in a few minutes; he wanted to ask me something. Think you can manage?" Alice smiled good-naturedly, and Lily grimaced.  
  
"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
Lily walked up the stairs, and Alice settled herself on a chair near the fire. Students from every year were walking around, chatting and complaining over homework. After a few minutes, she saw a blue-eyed boy break himself away from a group of 5th and 6th years and walk her way. He smiled brightly, sitting down and throwing an arm around her.  
  
"Hey, beautiful!"  
  
Alice laughed.  
  
"I hope you've never tried picking up girls before."  
  
"No. .Ok, one. But that turned out well, didn't it." He was looking at her very contentedly, a happy smile on his face. Alice blushed, pushing him gently.  
  
"And it was the most romantic experience of my life, I assure you." She said sarcastically.  
  
Of course, they had met under completely mundane circumstances, involving Christmas break, pliers, and Rutabagas.  
  
"You know it took me days to get the smell of that gunk out of my clothes."  
  
"Well if I hadn't tried to rescue you, it would have been much worse."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
They laughed, and sat in silence watching everyone go about their business. Finally, Alice shifted and looked at Frank.  
  
"Why does Lily hate James?"  
  
"What!? Where did that come from?"  
  
"I'm worried about them. Even last year it wasn't this bad between the two of them."  
  
"Yeah, I guess so. Speaking of couples-"  
  
"But honestly! James, with his perfect little world, is too . . .insistent. He doesn't understand the concept of anything bad. Lily has had a taste of it, and is still bitter, and she hates James for not understanding."  
  
Frank blinked.  
  
"Alice, I was wondering-"  
  
"And what is really horrible is that James doesn't know he doesn't know things about Lily, like how her father died, or how hard it is to keep up the emotional strain of James, whom I'm sure she likes in some way, and her father's death and her sister's cruelty, and all her duties here at the school, and-"  
  
"Alice."  
  
"-And James! Really, if he had explained to Lily something, I'm sure at least she would understand . . ."  
  
Frank looked around nervously as Alice went rambling on. Obviously, she had put a lot of thought into this. He saw the group of boys shaking their hands in the air and catcalling to him, and he gave a rather uncomfortable thumbs-up. Alice shoved his hand out of her face and continued.  
  
"Now really, how come he can't come out and be honest with her, because Lily has only seen the bad side of James when there's really a whole good side which I know she would fall in love with if she could only see it once. And Lily, James has only seen the bad side of her lately and it would be like the world ended if he didn't like her, wouldn't it?"  
  
Frank tried cutting in again, but Alice kept going.  
  
"Really, some days I wish I could be one of those two. They have no idea how lucky they are to be smart, beautiful, loved by all-"  
  
"Alice, hello!"  
  
"And someday they are going to look back on this, and they will either regret everything or laugh at it all, and I can only hope that they will be laughing because it is my belief that they belong together, and some days I wish Frank would just tell her that-"  
  
Frank realized what she had been saying all along. Rolling his eyes, he kissed her square on the lips.  
  
Well, at least she wasn't talking now.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHHPHPHPHPHPHHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPPH HPHPHPHP  
  
Thanks for reviewing:  
  
Tiffany&co.- Thanks for the review! *Hands out a guava muffin* Child-of-Scorpio- * GNA/GNL duck behind a big cardboard shield* J.E.A.R.K. Potter- *pauses in midst of handing out guava muffins to chuck one at the picture of Umbridge* The Lost Guava- WOO! Guava Land! GND- Yes it was intentional, we have to much fun in Smitty's class not to add him in. Morph- Have a guava muffin! (You're probably getting pretty sick of these aren't you? haha) 


	5. Chapter Five: Of Ghosts and Goats

AN: *Dreams about owning the Harry Potter Corporation and rolling around in all the money. Then is suddenly jearked back to reality with a harsh bump.*  
  
CHAPTER FIVE: OF GOATS AND GHOSTS  
  
Lily walked down the stairs, finally remembering the bag she had dropped. It was getting late, and the idea of all her schoolwork at the mercy of the marauders. . .she hated to think what would happen.  
  
She quickly forgot her bag when she saw Alice. One moment she was waving her arms around and ranting, the next Frank was. . .kissing her! Laughing, Lily skipped down the stairs, her hair bouncing behind her. She wasn't tired anymore. Alice blushed furiously while Frank asked her to go out with him.  
  
"Will you, Alice?"  
  
"After that! Why, I-I-"  
  
"Oh! I'm sorry, it's just I had to get you to shut up." He laughed nervously. Alice smiled.  
  
"No! Of course I'll go out with you."  
  
Lily laughed again, sticking her head between the two.  
  
"Finally! You have no idea how long I have been waiting!" Frank jumped and Alice clutched her heart.  
  
"Lily! Some privacy, please!"  
  
"If you want some privacy then don't start snogging in the middle of the common room!"  
  
Frank stood up, proffering his hand to Alice.  
  
"Then shall we go?" Alice took his hand.  
  
"Of course. Oh! I found out where the kitchen is! Want to go?" said Alice.  
  
"Sounds good to me!" The two ran off, leaving Lily, smiling slightly, to gather her things. Unfortunately, her bag seemed to be alluding her. After searching for 10 minutes, she sighed and sat in a chair. Already the common room was empty, leaving her without help.  
  
"Why is it so hard to find a ruddy bag!" she muttered. She stood up and even looked under the cushions, but for naught. At that moment a completely wiped out, windswept James staggered in holding his broom. He looked at Lily and almost smiled, but the events of the day were still too clear in his mind. She didn't seem to notice him as she looked around the common room busily, searching for something. He sighed. He didn't feel like arguing with her now, but he couldn't just let her search the common room high and low without help either. Maybe if he helped her that nagging guilt would go away. . .  
  
"Hi, Lily."  
  
Lily dropped the cushion and turned.  
  
"Oh! James." She said, looking surprisingly flustered. She shook her head and looked under another cushion.  
  
"What are looking for?" he asked curiously.  
  
"Oh, just my bag."  
  
"You mean this one?" he nudged a large bag sitting beside him in a corner. Laughing nervously, she nodded and picked it up.  
  
"Uh, thanks."  
  
"No problem." James and Lily stared at each other for a moment, Lily wincing at the bruises again and James simply studying her. She became uncomfortable under his gaze and turned away, about to go upstairs.  
  
He suddenly spoke up. "Listen, Lily, I need to talk to you."  
  
"Well that's no surprise. There aren't any jinxes involved, are there?" he smiled lightly and spun the broom in his hands.  
  
"No, I just wanted to tell you that. . .whatever I did this morning, I-I'm sorry. Even though I don't know what it is, I'm sure I was being a bigheaded jerk and deserved to be hit."  
  
Lily stared. What the heck was James doing?  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said I'm sorry?"  
  
"Oh." Lily was in shock. She nodded dazedly and turned away again. James ran a hand through his hair frustratedly.  
  
"Well aren't you going to apologize to me!?"  
  
"WHAT! Why should I apologize to you, Potter!"  
  
"Because I just apologized for something I didn't do, and you actually hit me! TWICE! Not to mention I have a permanent limp!" he said, and threw his hands in the air.  
  
"I'm going to bed." Said Lily. She walked up the stairs without looking back.  
  
"Lily!" James looked at her face when the stairs turned. She looked like a deer in the headlights. Her eyes were wide and focused on the air, and her bag had flung itself over her shoulder mechanically.  
  
"Goodnight!" he called after her. He blinked, and a rush of exhaustion came back to him. He barely made it to his bed before falling asleep.  
  
LJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJ  
  
Lily stared at the top of her canopy. Why did Potter always have to confuse things? One minute she's ecstatic over Alice and Frank, the next she is afraid she might have lost all her school things, the next JAMES POTTER is apologizing! She didn't think he could ever find it in himself to say sorry.  
  
"Why? Why why why Potter?" she whispered furiously to the air.  
  
LJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJ  
  
The next morning, Lily woke up feeling strangely refreshed. James Potter woke up feeling confused. Both went down to breakfast, walking as far apart from each other as possible.  
  
Lily plopped down in her chair next to Alice.  
  
"Not sitting with Frank this morning, I see." Laughed Lily  
  
Alice gave her an uncharacteristically solemn look. "Frank and I are arguing."  
  
"What! Why?" Lily asked, taking a muffing.  
  
Alice said, "Because we haven't had one yet!" as though it were obvious.  
  
"Oh...well what are you arguing over?"  
  
"Answer me this: which is better: Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans or Chocolate Frogs?"  
  
"Chocolate Frogs."  
  
"Exactly. Of course, Frank being the stubborn male that he is, he thinks that Bertie Botts Beans are better."  
  
"Alice you get stranger every day." Lily informed her.  
  
"But it's chocolate!"  
  
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the morning post. A large screech owl dropped Lily's copy of the Daily Prophet on her plate. She unrolled it and scanned the headlines.  
  
"Alice! Look at this!" exclaimed Lily.  
  
"Wha-" Alice asked through a mouthful of food.  
  
"Listen to this!  
  
Aberforth Dumbledore Charged with Practicing Inappropriate Charms on a Goat  
  
"What?!" Alice laughed.  
  
"Aberforth Dumbledore, brother of Albus Dumbledore, was charged yesterday for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat." Lily read.  
  
"...A goat. That's.... just..." Alice began.  
  
"Odd?" Their friend Dorcas Meadows suggested.  
  
"Wrong?" Lily added.  
  
" No....hilarious!" Alice started to giggle.  
  
"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore likes his name getting mixed up in all of that." Dorcas added.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
"Wonder why it's a goat?" Sirius asked as he read the paper over Remus' shoulder. "I mean if I were going to practice inappropriate charms on an animal. I wouldn't pick a goat."  
  
"What would you pick? A dog?" laughed James.  
  
"No!" Sirius glared at James indignantly. "Probably a rodent or something."  
  
"Hey!" Peter exclaimed. The other three laughed at the affronted look on his face.  
  
"Nah, not a rat. Maybe a squirrel!"  
  
"Oh that's much better than a goat." Remus said sarcastically. "I can see the headlines now...Sirius Black prosecuted for Practicing Inappropriate Charms on a Squirrel!"  
  
While walking to their first class of the day, they proceeded to read the article substituting Aberforth with Sirius and goat with squirrel.  
  
Professor Burle the Potions master (and head of Slytherin house) was an old man with powder white hair and a mean disposition. He was the terror of all first years, for he hated all students, except for the ones in his own house. He had a special hatred for the marauders, who enjoyed disrupting his class on a regular basis.  
  
"Today you will be working on the hair growth formula." He said, and then coughed loudly.  
  
"He's probably going to use the good stuff on himself." Sirius snickered.  
  
"10 pts from Gryffindor, Black!" Burle barked. "And do not let me hear you again!"  
  
"Yes Professor Hurle."  
  
"What was that Black?!"  
  
"I didn't say anything Professor."  
  
Burle eyed him a suspiciously, then returned to his lecture on hair growth formulas.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
"I can't believe it! Two Rolls of parchment on a hair growth formula, it impossible!" Alice whined as the entered history.  
  
"He wouldn't have given so much if they hadn't made Snipe's cauldron explode!" Lily said angrily, sending James and Sirius scathing looks as she took her seat.  
  
"It was great though wasn't it?" Frank asked excitedly.  
  
"Great? What was so great about it?" Lily said, her voice rising.  
  
Alice shook her head warningly at Frank.  
  
"Nothing...nothing at all."  
  
Lily listen to Alice continue on about the potions paper, occasionally shooting Potter dark looks.  
  
" I wonder where Professor Binns is." She said after a few minutes. "He's not normally late."  
  
"Why are you worried? The later the better in my opinion." said Frank.  
  
Lily shrugged, glancing at her watch. Soon ten minutes had gone by and Binns and not shown up. Sirius and James had begun to amuse themselves by bouncing wads of paper off the back of the Hufflepuff's heads.  
  
"I'm going to find out where he is," Lily said. "Before things get out of hand." But at that moment, attracted no doubt by the unusual level of noise coming form their room, Professor Lott poked her head in.  
  
"What's going on here?" she asked sharply. "Where is the Professor?"  
  
"He hasn't shown up yet, Professor." Said Remus.  
  
"Hmmm. . .I'll go see where he is." She said. "Until I get back I want you all in your seats and quiet. Am I understood?" the students nodded and started talking again.  
  
Rolling her eyes, Laura Lott whisked down the corridor towards the staff's lounge. She walked in and saw Binns slumped in a chair, his drink tipped and spilling drop by drop onto the carpet.  
  
"Really, if the minister knew what went on around here . . ." she smiled icily at the thought of a strictly-kept Hogwarts, and walked up to the aged professor.  
  
"Binns! Get up, it's time for you to go to class!"  
  
He didn't stir.  
  
"Binns! Get up! What kind of teacher are you!" she said angrily.  
  
Suddenly, a pearly white figure rose from the chair and looked at Lott. Her eyes widened in horror, looking from the slumped form of Binns empty body to the semi-transparent ghost hovering in front of her.  
  
"Oh . . .must've dozed off." He said in his same dry, wheezy voice, floating past her through the door. She stood for a moment in shock, before racing off to alert the other teachers.  
  
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The class sat in their seats murmuring to each other and hoping that Lott didn't return. Out of the blue, a pearly white ghost floated right through the chalkboard. A Hufflepuff girl gave a shrill scream, and Peter slipped sideways off his chair. Binns ghost did not seem to notice any of this, and he started his usual droning lecture that normally put the entire class to sleep.  
  
"Wow." Whispered Sirius. "Lott must've been so angry she did him in. You know how she is about people shirking their duties."  
  
"Yeah." James whispered back. "That or he just plain keeled over. Poor old geezer."  
  
The class stared in wonder as Binn's ghost drove its way through a slew of notes, until fifteen minutes when the class abruptly ended.  
  
After being dismissed, the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs ran to lunch, eager to recount the event to the rest of the school.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP HPHPHPHP AN: This was a fun chapter to write! I love Aberforth. Hope you enjoyed!  
  
The Ever Popular Thank yous:  
  
GNA Sis: *falls asleep amid reading your lengthy reviews* hahaha Just Kidding. You know we love you really mary sue!  
  
The Lost Guava: You like me you really like me! . . .*GNA smacks GNL* Hehehe sorry!  
  
Child-of-Scorpio- Well....they sort of made up....kind of....  
  
J.E.A.R.K. (Erin) Potter- Hehehe I agree ....DIE UMBRIDGE!  
  
Morph- Oh good! *Dumps whole truck load of guavas off at Morph's house*  
  
krw313 - Okay...so there was no shoulder sobbing....but there was apologizing...and goat charms.... Oh...and a guava for you! Elspeth Renee- Thank you for the review! Have a complimentary guava! Dreamzer- We are honored to hold your attention for so long. Thank you for the review and have a complementary guava to hold your attention for approximatly 5.987260236402602 seconds! 


	6. Chapter six: Halloween

AN: Does anyone actually read the author's note? Hello? Is anyone there? Are you even listening to me? You know you could miss something really important by not reading these...like we could have bought the copyrights to Harry Potter and you would never know it! ..............................................................Yeah, yeah I know we would never have enough money in a million years to pay for Harry Potter.....So maybe these author note's aren't that important anyway....drat!  
  
CHAPTER SIX: HALLOWEEN  
  
It was weeks after Binns had died, and Halloween was closing in quickly. The students had gotten a breather from their teachers, and quickly, the school was riotous in the spirit of Halloween. Their happiness was only dampened by the occasional ministry member disappearing, and even a few reappearances. One member, from the department of Muggle Artifacts, was found murdered, with a strange sign drifting in the sky above him. Another had simply turned up again; perfectly cool and confident despite the fact they were missing for three months.  
  
For the marauders, life was good. Sirius was his suave, humorous self, Remus was quiet and helpful, and Peter was even showing a slight improvement in grades, even though the other marauders saw him less and less. He seemed to be drifting away, even though the three others were all he truly had. James had been himself, basically. He seemed more subdued when talking about his Quidditch victories, and he even stopped messing his hair up- a little.  
  
Lily still had good grades, Alice was still dating Frank, and Marlene and Dorcas were talking more and more with the redhead and brunette. Peeves was still annoying, Binns was still dead, Lott was still aloof and strict, and Dumbledore was still wise. Despite all this, something seemed different. One couldn't tell by looking at Hogwarts, but the very air was more laden than it had been before. People were still missing, and the ministry was getting increasingly tense. All wizards and witches were absorbing their quiet time, when the mystery behind the ministry was still vague and unreal and not touching them.  
  
In fact, it was rather like the quiet before the storm.  
  
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The Halloween feast was that night, and the exuberance was peaking to a climatic ending. News had gone around Hogwarts that Lott was starting a Dueling Club, and soon half the school was enlisted.  
  
Sirius was in his element. The peace and quiet had done him good. One day Peeves had found pumpkins floating around the corridors and singing "Double Double, Toil and Trouble." Of course, they were soon enchanted to sing "Rubble Rubble, Boils and Grubble." No one knew what it meant, but every time they started singing Peeves would cackle evilly.  
  
Sirius would not let Peeves get the best of his reputation. One day Sirius Black went out behind Hagrids cabin and found a giant pumpkin. He gorged it out, and created a huge pile of seeds. He challenged Peeves to a seed- throwing contest.  
  
"HA! I got it!" cried Sirius triumphantly as he hit Snape from across the hall. It was the feast, and the marauders were splurging on their precious seeds. James glanced down the table and saw Lily laughing at a joke Marlene and Dorcas were telling. He aimed carefully, and hit her square in the forehead. He shoved his seeds over to Remus. Whistling innocently, he watched Lily out of the corner of her eye as she rubbed her forehead and glared down the table for the culprit. She saw the marauders pelting the other students, their faces impish and laughing. Her mouth twitched into a smile when she noticed Remus looking confusedly at a pile of seeds, and James whistling and glancing down at her.  
  
She turned away before he could catch her smile. She pretended to laugh again as Marlene and Dorcas continued rambling on. Alice noticed this and raised an eyebrow at Lily, but she simply smiled vaguely. Frank squeezed her hand and pointed to Peeves, who was now setting up for Lily. She rolled her eyes. James saw Peeves and shot a seed at him. He dropped his as it went whizzing by, and it landed on Dumbledore's head.  
  
"I see the students are amusing themselves quite well, what do you think?" asked Dumbledore to McGonogal.  
  
Minerva and Laura were sitting with ramrod backs, glaring stonily at the troublemakers.  
  
"Shouldn't we stop them!" said Laura indignantly.  
  
"I believe it would be good for them, if they laughed."  
  
"They laugh enough Albus." Said Minerva sharply, and she stood up menacingly. The hall went silent as they heard her chair scrape against the floor. Sirius stopped a seed too late, and it hit McGonogal on the forehead. She blinked, and looked at the seed floating in her drink. Her mouth started twitching, and she sat down quickly. Everyone laughed in relief. Lott stood up.  
  
"Students! Calm yourselves!" she shouted over the sudden increase in noise. "I have a few words to say about the dueling club."  
  
Once again, everyone was silent.  
  
"Our first meeting shall be tomorrow at half past seven. Those who have signed up, be prepared. I would suggest checking up on your defensive spells. Now, I can hear Dumbledore's stomach, and I think it best if we let him start the feast."  
  
The students laughed, and Dumbledore smiled benevolently.  
  
"Thank you, Lott. I cannot deny that I am rather hungry. Everywhere I go in this castle has the smell of pumpkin! I would suggest stopping for the night, boys." The marauders smiled cheerfully and stashed the seeds away in a small sack. "Now, I do believe it is time to eat!" The tables filled to bursting with food instantly.  
  
Students and teachers alike filled up on the delicious spread as the sky darkened above them. Candles lit, and the feast continued. Near nine, the professors called a halt to the feast and everyone wandered back to their common rooms, full to the brim.  
  
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Lott examined the student's disarming charms critically, running her own thoughts through her head as they battled it out betwixt each other. "Others have gone missing. The departments losing people are bigger, more important now. He is growing stronger. He is gathering more followers. The Ministry cannot hide it much longer."  
  
James watched Lott curiously. She was leaning against the stone wall, barely glancing over her numerous charges. Students were starting to disarm others besides their partners, and pandemonium occurred. Lott jolted out of her thoughts and quickly stopped them. Conjuring up pillows, she showed them how to block attacks. All was quiet again.  
  
Sirius and Remus were enjoying themselves immensely. They took to the spells like fish to water, and enjoyed watching the "Slimy Slytherins" fall. James had been paired up with Snape, unfortunately, and the two were throwing all sorts of curses at each other. James neatly blocked many, and Snape was soon breathing heavily. He did not have Quidditch to keep him in shape like Potter.  
  
"Ha ha! Take that, you dog!" shouted Remus to Sirius, whom he had just petrified. Sighing as he lay there looking slightly surprised, he took off the charm.  
  
"Thought you were going to leave me like that for a second." Said Black a few minutes later, recovered.  
  
"No. You would have killed me."  
  
"That's logic for you." Sirius swept some hair out of his eyes and watched James fight with Severus. He was bellowing jinxes at him, and Snape was jumping around them and letting his own, nastier curses fly. Lily watched them nervously, and Alice hit her with the disarming charm. She flew back and kept watching them.  
  
"Oh Lily! I'm so sorry! I didn't think it would be that powerful!"  
  
Lily shook her head.  
  
"I'm fine. You just haven't gotten a taste of my own wand!"  
  
Lott watched Snape and Potter admiringly, seeing talent in both of them.  
  
Not him. Too loyal. The Slytherin . . .  
  
Finally, James froze and fell to the ground. Snape laughed cruelly from above, but was hit in the face with a curse when James jumped up.  
  
"THERE!" he yelled, and stood breathing heavily. Sirius clapped him on the shoulder, and James grinned.  
  
"Good work, Potter." Said Lott, nodding approvingly. "Twenty points to Gryffindor. I never thought someone would best Snape." James grinned even more.  
  
"Great, now he has something else to inflate his head." Muttered Lily as she froze Alice. James heard the comment, and instead of transfiguring Snape into Frank's mother, he lifted the curse. Snape stood up shakily, glaring at James.  
  
"Well, why didn't you curse me while I was down Potter? Losing your touch? Are you afraid?"  
  
James stood silent.  
  
"I see. It was the mudblood, wasn't it?" Potter gripped his wand tightly, his teeth grinding against each other.  
  
"Of course it was. It's always that bit of filth, stopping you from doing what you want to do. Why don't you curse me Potter? Go ahead, I'm not stopping you."  
  
Snape sneered and held his arms out, his robes dangling too short. James still hesitated.  
  
"Well Potter? Hex me into oblivion. I will LET you. Yank off my robes, throw something at me, mock me. Or do you want the mudblood to like you?"  
  
James was turning red with anger, and a haze covered his eyes. His hand was trembling from holding his wand so tightly. He started to raise his wand-  
  
Snape whipped his out and shot a curse at James. He flew back and hit the wall beside Lott. She looked down at him, and didn't do a thing.  
  
"Well Potter?" she said.  
  
He stood back up, his nose bleeding. He saw Lily, biting her lip so hard it was colorless. Frank had frozen from helping Alice up, and Sirius had his eyes open wide and was mouthing "get him." Remus was holding his own wand up, ready to come between them. He touched the blood on his face, and laughed.  
  
"You know, Snape." He said, shaking his head. "It's not worth it. You are not worth it."  
  
With that, he pocketed his wand and left them in shock.  
  
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Morph- Cool! Now when you get Guava Hogwarts finished the guava nancers will be recieveing one of those nifty owl acceptance letters won't we? *Sends another truck load of guavas over to morph's house*  
  
The Lost Guava- Hmm...I don't think it ever really says in the books how he died.  
  
krw313- Hehe sorry about the cliff hangers.  
  
Erin- Thank you. This was a fun chapter guessing what might have happened to Binns and Aberforth.  
  
Dreamzer- Monty Python!! That movie is so funny! Guava's for the Monty Python fans everywhere!  
  
GNA Sis- Soon your reviews will be longer than the chapters! hahaha  
  
Reviews please!! 


	7. Chapter Seven: Unexpected News

CHAPTER SEVEN: UNEXPECTED NEWS  
  
Everyone was in high spirits with the coming of Christmas vacation. The Great Hall was decorated with the usual decorations. Several large Christmas trees were covered in twinkling lights that were actually hundreds of faeries. The ghosts floated around singing Christmas carols, adding to the festive mood.  
  
As usual, the teachers could hardly get the students to sit still let alone work with Christmas break so soon. Some like Flitwick let them relax and play games, while others like McGonogal compromised and taught them how to turn lettuce into mistletoe, and yet others still like Burle forced them to work up until they were dismissed.  
  
All in all everyone was in a good mood as they sat down for their final meal before the much anticipated winter break. Once everyone was seated Dumbledore rose to his feet and called for everyone's attention.  
  
"Before we begin this fabulous meal, I would just like to wish you a Merry Christmas as you will be leaving for break tomorrow morn-" Dumbledore began but his words were cut short by a resounding crash. A moment later a frantic, disheveled wizard stumbled into the Great Hall.  
  
He limped between the tables towards Dumbledore with blood dripping from a gash across his arm.  
  
"Dumbledore...urgent...message." he growled, panting, and offered a bit of parchment to the head master with his good arm. The entire hall watched silently, as Dumbledore read the parchment, then read it again, his eyes without a twinkle. When he glanced up his face was troubled and he looked old, and gray, and haggard.  
  
"I must return quickly," the wounded wizard said.  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "Of course." Everyone watched the wizard limp out of the hall before their eyes flicked back to Dumbledore. The piece of parchment slipped from his fingers and floated gently down to rest on the table.  
  
All the students watched anxiously as he cleared his voice.  
  
"You are all undoubtedly wondering what has happened. This letter," he said, delicately picking up the parchment. " Is quite blunt. Not at all how I would prefer to deliver such news to you . . .to anyone. However, I think that in a case such as this...bluntness is needed in order to not deceive." He took a deep breath peering out at the students sadly before beginning the letter.  
  
"Today at approximately 4:30 PM, during the Christmas tree ceremony in Diagon Alley a group of unidentified masked witches and wizards arrived and began what can only be described as a mass slaughter. After denouncing all muggles and muggle-borns and declaring their support for a mysterious wizard known only as Voldemort, they proceeded by launching an attack of the unforgivable curses to everyone in sight."  
  
'Voldemort!' Lily suddenly remembered the name that had flashed on her slip of paper during the unexpected prefect meeting their first evening back.  
  
"They held their ground for a while after Ministry authorities arrived but after a short battle the 'murdering cowards' disapparated to an unknown location. There is no count of the number of civilian victims though the result will be staggering. A death toll of the Ministry officials currently resides at six."  
  
Every face in the hall was pale; they were all shocked and horrified. Some whispering broke out in isolated patches, some sat silently dumbstruck. Dumbledore stared at the parchment debating with himself whether to read the final lines. Should he give them an even greater burden than they already had? With much reservation he cleared his throat. The scattered whisperings went silent.  
  
"Those killed in the line of duty are . . . Mikaela Prewitt, Robert Robertson, Will Potter-"  
  
Lily gasped. James sat frozen, breathing heavily. Remus bowed his head, and Sirius looked as shocked as James. Will Potter had been his real father, not Black. In fact, for the past year, he had been living under the Potter's roof-now what would he do? He couldn't go back to James' grieving mother, give her that burden . . .he had just lost his home.  
  
"George Longbottom, Franklin Bones, and Waldo Loste. Other deaths have been reported . . ."  
  
Two girls walked out crying, flanked by McGonogal. In the silence, James got up and stormed out of the hall. Lily followed Frank and Alice. In fact, many of the students, rallying around their friends, had left. Dumbledore sat down heavily and closed his eyes.  
  
"And so it begins, Riddle."  
  
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Lily sat in a corner by herself, gazing at the scene before her as if she was in a trance. She watched as owls flew in and out of the common room in flocks, sent from worried family members, and the occasional ministry owl. The windows were left open for their easy access, leaving those in the room chattering with cold. Alice sat next to a silent Frank, trying to offer consoling words whilst tears streamed down her cheeks. Sirius sat in a chair by the fire, fists clenched and staring off into space, with Remus and Peter surrounding him. James was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Lily watched as one by one each person opened their letters and either let out shaky sighs of relief or burst into tears. The tension in the common room was unbearable. Finally Lily could take it no more and slipped away unnoticed. Tears began to well up in her eyes, memories of her own father's death invading her mind, and she found that she wasn't controlling her movement at all. Her feet simply led her to her favorite spot at the top of the North Tower. The cold night air stung her face as she stepped outside, and after a moment she realized she was not alone.  
  
Leaning against the railing was James. When he turned to look at her he seemed almost dazed, his eyes rather red.  
  
"I...I didn't think anyone would...would..." Lily stuttered through her tears. "-be here. I'll go...sorry...I didn't-"  
  
James stared at her a moment as though he was finally seeing something he had been looking for. His eyes grew slightly wider in their brown-red puffiness and he stared at her hard.  
  
"So that is why you're so bitter," he said at last.  
  
"Wh . . .What?"  
  
"That's why you hate the world, hate me. I didn't understand. I didn't know what had happened. That's why you hate the world, hate me . . ." he repeated dismally.  
  
"I . . . don't . . .I" she walked back a step, stumbling. She turned to go, but after a moment, turned back with her face wet and tear-streaked. "I don't-I don't hate you James, or, or the world. And . . . I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. " She ran, leaving James staring hopelessly and dimly after her.  
  
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THANK YOUS!!!!  
  
krw313- We normally post once a week....well I hope you liked this chapter.  
  
GNK- hehe Thanks for the review. See ya at school!  
  
Child of scorpio- Hey you know I read your fic *wonders whether you write more than one and if I should be more specific.* Hmm....ah well I'm going to go review it later. But it was good! I liked it!  
  
morph- Woo! Gryffindor Tower is starting to look good! 


	8. Chapter Eight: Prefect Meeting and Fight

GNA: Hiya folks! This is GNA here (duh), saying that this chapter is "lots of fun," which is code for "I was able to finish this chapter and to put in a rather strange type of fluff with a huge amount of help from GNL (haha...right, Captain Musical...) without overbearing the chapter with it and still showing all the subtle hints and other nuances of the chapter that are much more important so the fluff-loving reviewers don't kill me." *coughety cough* I am proud of me...  
  
GNL: *sighs* Sorry fluff lovers....Although I did come up with the plot for this chapter... it hardly qualifies as a fluffy chapter.  
  
GNA: For me it does!  
  
GNL: *smacks forehead*  
  
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CHAPTER EIGHT: PREFECT MEETING AND FIGHT  
  
Lott stood at her desk, leaning heavily on a ladder-back chair, and gazing levelly at all the prefects and the two head students in front of her. It was her duty to tell them what she knew, explain the attack. It would hurt. She gripped the chair more tightly.  
  
"I would like you all to know that this attack is nothing short of astounding. It has caught us all completely off our guard, despite the numerous warning signs, and left us ALL helpless. Many died. The complete list will be printed in the Daily Prophet in tomorrow's edition, if you are that morbidly curious. Many students were affected, simply by the deaths, and others by their own friend's grief. It is your duty to comfort those needing it."  
  
One of the girls let out a sob, and Lott shot her a scathing look.  
  
"I would expect the Ravenclaws to be a bit more chipper than that." She said sternly. "We cannot grieve now. We must protect ourselves from-"she hesitated, "The Dark Lord. This includes the continuation of the dueling club, and information for the whole wizarding world. Dumbledore will be heading the committee involving that, and I expect all of you to take up your duty and join. We cannot hesitate, for the-" she coughed lightly, "- Dark Lord will strike again quickly. It is his way."  
  
"How do you know that?" asked Lily, the tiniest hint of suspicion in her voice.  
  
"Dumbledore has been tracing the movements of the Dark Lord for years now. And, considering that I am now employed here and ALSO used to work in the Ministry, I would know these things," replied Laura smoothly. Her eyes betrayed nothing, but a dislike for the smart redhead started developing. She asked too many questions. Wasn't it enough to be given your duty and carry it out? She was only doing her duty, that was all. It was her duty.  
  
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After the meeting, Remus and Lily walked to Transfiguration, all the while talking about the meeting.  
  
"How could she be so brutal to that poor Ravenclaw prefect!" exclaimed Lily once again, waving her hands in the air exasperatedly. Remus didn't say anything, only shake his head in disappointment at their Professor grimly.  
  
"I mean, sure, we should keep ourselves together so we can help the school and all but we're not supposed to hand out deep psychologically healing advice! I'm a prefect, not-not-oh, I don't know what, but it's not right of her." She finished.  
  
"Maybe she was taking it too hard." Mused Remus after a moment, thinking back to the girl who had been sobbing.  
  
Lily opened her mouth to yell at him, and then stopped.  
  
"Maybe. It has been a while. A week, about, and she was still crying. . .I mean, James-"  
  
She snapped her mouth shut.  
  
"What about James?" asked Remus, staring ahead and not looking at Lily.  
  
"Well, I meant that. . . he was taking it really well." She said hesitantly, thinking back to the Tower incident and thinking the exact opposite. He hadn't taken it well of course, who would? But he wasn't reacting the same way as she had seen others; they would sob and cry and go home to stay with their families. But James hadn't cried after she had said she didn't hate him, only looked more and more worn and tired, like he couldn't sleep. And he only went to the funeral, coming back late at night, maybe unable to comfort his mother.  
  
While the two walked, another figure had been following behind, quiet and malignant. Bellatrix Black made sure to be quiet and listen in on the two, and was ready to burst with laughter as the mudblood Lily practically confessed her love to the git Potter.  
  
"Pitiful." She muttered, and she straightened her spineless back and walked towards the two Gryffindors, patting her wand in its deeply hidden robe pocket.  
  
Remus turned around as he heard someone behind them, and he looked back at Lily with a disgusted look on his face. Lily saw who was coming and barely managed to contain the angry laughter that was ready to burst out. This was not the moment Lily wanted a death eater sneering at her.  
  
"Well look who it is, the mudblood and moony." She said, and Remus' eyes squinted in anger. Lily didn't get time to even look at Remus, much less ask him what she had meant, before she spoke again.  
  
"I wonder what they could be doing wandering the halls at this time?" she said with fake curiosity.  
  
"It doesn't matter, Bellatrix." Said Remus quietly. She sneered.  
  
"Well then, I guess if you want to cheat on your little boyfriend mudblood, go ahead!"  
  
"Black-"said Lily, her face turning dangerously pale.  
  
"What did I do? Did I say something wrong!" she said, feigning surprise. "No wait. Of course I did. I mentioned Potter, and as both of us know-"she leaned in conspiratorially towards Lily "-He is all wrong, he is terrible, he is worse than the basest foulest thing on this earth." She laughed coldly. "He is worse than me, even. Especially to you, mudblood."  
  
This had a strange effect on Lily. Her eyes grew wide for a moment, wider than they usually were, and she suddenly was so full of rage that Bellatrix stepped back a step, surprised at her silent reaction. Lily felt like she was holding a fighting lion in her arms, and to stop herself from shaking so much she clenched her fists until the nails practically drew blood. After a moment Black composed herself and her face became as nasty as it usually was, all the while Remus fuming with a silent rage.  
  
"Do not talk about James like that, death eater." She growled. Bellatrix laughed.  
  
"Really, Evans, I'm getting a bit tired of all this drama." She said "drama" as if it were foreign to her. "I'd rather just have you both killed and get it over with. Like his father." She laughed again. "He fought so bravely. . ."  
  
"DETENTION BLACK!" roared Remus, finally snapping.  
  
Lily couldn't stand that. She swung her clenched fist at her in a rage, meeting Bella's eye with more force than she had ever hit Potter. She fell over screeching in pain.  
  
"What's the matter? Does it hurt?" spat Lily. "Shouldn't have opened your stupid mouth!"  
  
With that she turned and stormed down the hall, leaving the shocked Bella and furious Remus in her wake.  
  
Fuming, she slammed her books down on her desk in Transfiguration.  
  
"What's wrong Lily?" Alice asked.  
  
"Nothing." A few moments later Remus entered. He shot Lily several quick befuddled, angry, nervous glances as he took his seat.  
  
Professor McGonagall had already started class when the door opened. Standing in the doorframe were Professor Lott and Bellatrix, her skeletally thin and elegant hands knotted and ugly against her eye.  
  
"I'm sorry to interrupt," said Lott, not sounding sorry at all. "But one of these students intentionally attacked Bella."  
  
When Bella put her hands down they could see a large bluish, purple bruise on her left eye, the eye itself a blurry blood red.  
  
"Who did this to you?" asked Professor McGonogal swiftly.  
  
"She did." responded Black, pointing to Lily accusingly.  
  
"Miss Evans?" McGonogal asked, not sure she had seen correctly.  
  
"Yes, she attacked me!" All the eyes in the room darted back and forth between Bella and Lily.  
  
"Miss Evans, is this true?" McGonogal asked sternly.  
  
"Yes Professor."  
  
"It is?" She faltered.  
  
"Yes Professor."  
  
"May I enquire as to why?" She asked angrily.  
  
"Umm . . ." Lily didn't know what to say. She certainly wasn't about to say the real reason. She glanced around the room helplessly. Remus just stared at her blankly, almost deadly. Then she caught sight of James watching the scene intently, surprise written all over his usually so handsome features. She turned back the Professors with a guilty smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Well . . .it's more the fact that she exists, if you know what I mean . . ."  
  
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Thank Yous  
  
Lady Candelight- WOO! New Reviewer! Glad you like it! *Ships a large crate of guavas to LC's house*  
  
Pigasus- Hic! Thanks Hic! for Hic! the Hic! Review! Hic! Hic hic hic hic hic  
  
Angel 85- Another new reviewer! Woo! Thanks for the review! Have some guavas!  
  
Child of scorpio- Yeah, we spent over a week arughing over the end of that chapter.....and we are both still unhappy over the ending...but as long as you like it.  
  
GNA Sis- Thanks for review. (i will try to make my thankyous to you as short as your reviews are long!) hehehehe  
  
krw13- Thanks for the review! Have some guavas and another chapter!  
  
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Go Lily! Reviews would be lovely! I've got plenty of guavas! Come on, tropical fruit, you know you can't resist it! Yum...*eats guava over exaggeratedly* *GNL walks in from Musical practice, glares, takes guava and chucks it out a convenient window before making GNA shut up*  
  
GNL: WOO! Musical is over now! *Does a Musical is over now dance.* 


	9. Chapter Nine: The History of Lott

GNA: Wow . . . the reviews . . . you feeling the pressure GNL?  
  
GNL: Heck. Yeah.  
  
GNA: The phrases that got me most were "Wow. This is an absolutely stunning story," and "Dude you rok!"  
  
GNL: I personally find the name bob-the-bear hilarious.  
  
GNA: Very true! But this is stuff for reviewer thank you's, not an authoresses note. Well . . . there's not much to say, besides I really, really hope this lives up to expectations, seeing as it is a very . . . revealing chapter, to the plot.  
  
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CHAPTER NINE: LOTT HISTORY  
  
"Lily Evans, come with me this instant!" said Lott sharply, and Lily stood up. Bellatrix smirked, which looked more like a grimace considering the condition of her eye.  
  
"May I go to Madame Pomfrey now?" she asked, and Lott nodded.  
  
"Of course."  
  
Lott stalked off, and Lily slowly followed her. The class watched her walk out. James was grinning like mad, shaking his head.  
  
LJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJH  
  
In Lott's office, everything was meticulously clean, as it had been only a few minutes before, minus the many students crowded in. Her desk held an expensive looking quill that emitted a faint glow. A candelabrum dangled over their heads, the light barely visible in the bright fall sunlight. Her worn desk sat on a perfectly clean, smooth stone floor, and the walls were decorated with pictures of severe-looking family members, and one ancient black and white photo of a group of friends.  
  
Lott sad down in her ladder-back chair, picked up the quill and wincing for some reason, started writing on a thick piece of parchment. Strangely, there was no ink on the quill. Lily stood fidgeting, her heart still racing after the confrontation. Lott finished whatever she was doing and stood up, placing her fingers neatly on the desk surface.  
  
"I cannot believe that you, Lily Evans, would hit another student. Well, besides James Potter."  
  
"But professor-"  
  
"Lily, I do not want to hear any excuses. You are a disappointment as a prefect for your school, and a disappointment as a person. I cannot understand WHY, why you would-"  
  
"Well, Professor Lott-"  
  
"-Ever physically harm another student. There is only one thing for me to do-"  
  
"But Lott I was-"  
  
"-Detention for a week-"  
  
"Will you just listen-"  
  
"-Cleaning the castle, under direction of Filch-"  
  
"Lott!"  
  
"-The muggle way. I hope that this will . . . clean up your act."  
  
"I was provoked, professor!"  
  
Lott stepped around her desk, her eyes flashing.  
  
"I do not CARE, Evans! You made a mistake and you will pay! I am sick of students not taking responsibility! I am tired of hearing them complain over nothing! You should be thankful that detention was ALL I gave you!  
  
Lily squinted her eyes.  
  
"Are you threatening me, Lott!"  
  
"No. I am simply explaining something to you that I am tired. A student who is, supposedly, as responsible as you, should know these things. . . I was wrong."  
  
"Professor, I am not a child!" exclaimed Lily. She was starting to feel exhausted, but angry and awake all the same.  
  
"No. You are a-"  
  
She seemed to restrain herself from something, and Lily looked at her suspiciously, her anger ebbing slightly as the Professor acted more and more strangely.  
  
"You know nothing about what is going on." Finished Lott simply, before sitting down and picking up the quill again. It seemed to glow more brightly as she touched it, and Laura gasped and dropped it.  
  
"What is it, Professor?" asked Lily worriedly, any lingering fury dissipated. She walked silently up to her desk, where Lott was clutching her hand as if she had been burned.  
  
Not hearing her, she relaxed her hand and Lily saw spider-like writing fading into her palm. Lott's head shot up and Lily jumped back, scared out of her wits. She felt herself shaking; for the first time that day, it wasn't of anger, but of fear.  
  
No, no, no, no, no! screamed her mind at her, as she moved back from the desk and Lott, who looked terrifying at that moment. Her bony, emaciated frame was threatening, even with the robes that were too big slipping on her shoulders, and her pale blue eyes looked darker than usual with fury.  
  
In Lott's angrily clenched right fist the words "The Order is being formed. Call Black, Malfoy, LeStrange-"were fading.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
A worried McGonogal walked into the Gryffindor Common Room, and her eyes darted around until she saw Sirius, Remus, James, and Frank chatting.  
  
"Have you boys seen Lily Evans?"  
  
James looked at her curiously.  
  
"No, Why?"  
  
"She did not come to Muggle Studies, or Arithmancy."  
  
"She had those classes?" asked Sirius bemusedly.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Black. Now have you seen her?"  
  
They shook their heads no, looking at each other worriedly.  
  
"Not since . . . she went with Lott . . ." said Remus after a moment, thinking back an hour or two.  
  
McGonogal looked more worried at this.  
  
"Very well. If you see her, tell her to report to me immediately. If I find her, I will alert you." McGonogal left.  
  
HPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHP  
  
Several hours later, the marauders, Alice, Frank, Dorcas, and Marlene were sitting together in the common room, talking about Lily. Alice was clutching Frank's arm and bombarding Remus with questions.  
  
"Where is she!? What happened!? What did Black say? Why did Lily hit her!? Where did she go with Lott? Why did Lott want her anyway? What did she say to her? Tell me something, Lupin!"  
  
Remus rubbed at his face.  
  
"Alice, calm down. She's only been gone for . . . what?"  
  
"FIVE HOURS!!" yelled James, who was pacing back and forth frenetically. "Why did she do this, WHY!? Just run off without telling anyone where she went, I could just strangle her-"  
  
"James, calm down." Said Dorcas, who was patting a tearful Alice on the back. "She's probably just, just . . ."  
  
"What, asleep in her dormitory!? NO! She's not anywhere! If Lott touched her, I will kill her, I will KILL her-"  
  
Remus had to yell to be heard over James.  
  
"James! I am trying to tell you what happened! SIT DOWN!" James stopped his pacing and glared at Remus.  
  
"WE DO NOT KNOW WHERE SHE IS, NO ONE HAS SEEN HER, SHE COULD BE HURT, COULD BE DYING! I AM NOT GOING TO LOSE SOMEONE ELSE, LUPIN! I DID NOT BACK DOWN TO SNAPE AND TRY TO CHANGE AND TRY TO CONFORM FOR NOTHING! I DON'T CARE IF SHE DETESTS ME, I'M GOING TO FIND HER!"  
  
Remus stood up, snarling at James.  
  
"THEN LET ME HELP YOU FIND HER INSTEAD OF RUNNING OFF TO RESCUE HER LIKE SOME GALLANT KNIGHT!"  
  
"I CAN HANDLE IT, REMUS! I DON'T NEED ANYONE'S HELP!"  
  
"HA! JAMES, YOU CAN'T EVEN DECIDE TO GROW UP ON YOUR OWN, MUCH LESS SAVE LILY!"  
  
James and Remus were nose-to-nose, breathing heavily. James turned away and clutched at his head. After a few tense moments, he flung his arms down and sat, gritting his teeth against a wall of tears. Remus looked rather shocked, and ashamed.  
  
"I'm sorry Prongs. I just . . . lost my head."  
  
James froze when Lupin said Prongs.  
  
"No. Not Prongs. NO! How could we be so dense!"  
  
With that, James jumped up and ran to his dormitory, his eyes clear with victory. He lifted a silvery cloak out of his trunk, and pulled out a piece of parchment.  
  
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good . . ."  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
James ran along an empty, cold corridor, heading up stairs and flying around corners. Soon he arrived at the North Tower, and panting, walked up the final set of steps. Curled by a window was Lily, who had her head buried in her knees and wasn't making a noise. She looked up as she heard footsteps, her face splotchy and worn. James stood there, holding a parchment and staring at her with an unreadable expression. He didn't say anything, just sank to his knees in front of her. She rubbed at her eyes furiously, pulling back a sheet of red hair.  
  
"What are you doing here, Potter." She said, her voice hoarse from crying.  
  
He looked at her disbelievingly, and burst out angrily.  
  
"What am I doing here!? Where have you been!!!!!" Lily jumped. "Do you have any idea how worried we all were!? Do you have any idea!?"  
  
She rubbed at her eyes again, more angrily, trying to rid them of their redness and restrain any tears that were left over, not to mention the sudden urge to fling her arms around James in thanks. She had never been more glad to see him, see anyone than in that moment.  
  
"It was Lott." She said hesitantly, not sure of her capability for words.  
  
"I bloody well know it was Lott!" he cried frustrated, then stopped. She didn't sound very normal, even for a person who had been sobbing for several hours by the looks of it.  
  
"What happened?" he said sharply, looking Lily in the eye.  
  
"She-she-"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, James, I'm so sorry-"  
  
She broke off again, and James grabbed her arms and shook them very gently, though firmly. She shoved him away.  
  
"Lily! Please, tell me what happened! Look at me, Lily!" She looked James in the eyes, a bit of her old determination feebly flaring up even as she wanted to drop her eyes.  
  
"Lott is-she-well, she is a-"  
  
"DEATHEATER! I KNEW IT!" yelled James furiously, making Lily jump back in surprise.  
  
"No! No, she isn't, she's just . . . something else! She's, oh, I don't know, but that's not even-not even the half of it!"  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, his hazel eyes still flaming and furious as he stood up and paced back and forth angrily. Lily started to get up, while keeping the tears and aching in her head at bay, but gave up and sat back down again, closing her eyes against James' annoying pacing. James saw her struggle, of course, and shame trickled unpleasantly down his spine.  
  
He sat down beside Lily, his head drooping and eyes stinging almost imperceptibly. He hated shame.  
  
"If you're not going to tell me, fine." He said after a few minutes, sounding tired and almost childish. Lily's chin quavered, because she had just realized he must not know about Black.  
  
"Bellatrix killed your father." She said, quieter than a breath of air. He froze as if he had been petrified, and Lily drew in a quick breath, knowing she shouldn't have said it.  
  
To her surprise and relief, James merely groaned as if he had been shot and his head drooped even further, as if all hope had been lost. It might have been better for him to be in a towering rage, but not for Lily. He straightened his back slowly, and leaned his head against the stone. She realized it was dark in the tower now, and she could only see his shadow move.  
  
"I don't want to know what Lott did to you now." He said slowly, like the words were being pulled from him by some other force than himself.  
  
"She didn't hurt me, James." Said Lily quietly, but she felt tears prickling again. "But . . . she's going to."  
  
The sun was setting over the Forbidden Forest, and while the tower was pitch black, out side everything was crystal clear. Even a small speck was defined, that if James or Lily would have looked, would have been labeled "Laura Lott" on the marauders map, disappear off the edge of the map into the Forbidden Forest.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
"Dumbledore!" called Lily exhaustedly as she ran into his office, having finally figured out the password. He was sitting at his old, polished desk, studying a basin in front of him, while a rare phoenix in its prime looking at her curiously.  
  
"Yes, Miss Evans? What is the matter?" he asked, looking up from the bowl partly filled with silver, swirling, smoke-like liquid.  
  
"It's-It's Lott."  
  
Dumbledore stared levelly at Lily, the basin forgotten. He slowly got up, walked around his desk, and led Lily to a chair.  
  
"Now Lily, I need you to tell me exactly what happened . . ."  
  
LJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJH  
  
"Here's the quill, professor."  
  
Lily gestured to a pile of gold dust which was glowing ominously. Dumbledore, McGonogal, Spires, and Lily were examining the room. Lott had obviously left in a hurry, leaving behind all personal items, including the pictures on the wall.  
  
Tawny pinched a fingertip of the dust, but dropped it quickly when she felt a sharp sting in her fingers. They were bright red, as if they had been burnt. By the look on Tawny's face, they were.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, what is this?"  
  
"Maybe it was communication with the dark lord?" suggested Lily, her voice low and hoarse. She was holding a kerchief that McGonogal had given to her after finding her and Dumbledore in his office, and it was soaked.  
  
"Good idea, Miss Evans. Perhaps." He said in his comforting voice.  
  
McGonogal was examining the pictures, and took one down. It was the old one, with the group of friends moving about. They shouted at McGonogal when they saw her, one of the figures laughing.  
  
The picture was wrinkled in several places, and the people in the photograph seemed almost hesitant to cross the creases, as if their movement would make it disintegrate like the quill. In the picture was Lott, serious as usual, standing next to a grimy-looking boy and a group of girls. Also in the picture was a young man with neat hair and glaring eyes. It was Voldemort.  
  
"So they knew each other. That's how it happened." Said McGonogal faintly, her usually strong Scottish demeanor a bit overwhelmed as she stared at the picture, the inhabitants shouts unpleasant and cruel. Lily noticed Lott never said a word.  
  
"Professor?" said Lily and Tawny at the same time.  
  
"I have a lot to explain to you . . ." said Albus. With that, Dumbledore sat down to tell the history of Lott.  
  
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Readers: And...  
  
GNL: He he. . . . he he . . . and what?  
  
Readers: . . .  
  
GNA: *tries to be zen* All will be revealed with time, it is only a matter of patience and understanding between the readers a- *rotten guavas are thrown at GNA/GNL, both run for cover* OK, OK! We were being lazy, and I only finished this chapter last night! GNL, just do the reviewer thank you's, before this gets really nasty! *watches watermelon fly past hiding spot*  
  
HPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHP  
  
A Note to all:  
  
I am in a very Harry Potteresque tantrum mood right now. *Hurls objects across room* Because I had all the thankyous done...early! And they were wonderful and great and I actually said something relevant and interesting....and then my lame, stupid....foul....piece of crap computer lost them ALL! So if the thankyous stink...blame it on my computer....  
  
Child-of-scorpio- Yup this was a fun chapter. Thanks for the reivew.  
  
morph- Yeah! Hogwarts Guava-Style! Can't get much better then that!  
  
J.E.A.R.K. Potter- We love that like too. In fact that line pretty much inspired the chapter...well that and we wanted to see Lily beat the snot out of Bellatrix...but that is a different story.  
  
GNAsis- Thanks!  
  
krw313- Glad you liked it! But really you know...If we posted it all the time ...then we would run out of material faster, and that wouldn't be a good thing.  
  
iris- Woo! A new reviewer! We love new reviewers! Let me be the first to thank you with a complimentary guava.  
  
Cris- Yeah! Another new reivewer! We are glad that you like our work.  
  
bob-the-bear- All we can say is.....we love your pen name!  
  
Lady of Masbolle- Haha Thanks! *Tries very hard not to let compliment go to my head.....fails miserably*  
  
Susan Heart- Yeah! We are on a someones fav. author's list! *Does a we are someones fav. author's list dance* .....Yeah we are a little insane....  
  
Miss Mrpk- Wow, thanks a lot. We know what it is like digging through the sort-of-cheesy fanfics. We're glad that you don't consider ours one of them.  
  
Angel 85- Yeah, I agree with you. Lily was smart, and over all a nice person, but not even Perfect Miss Evans was a saint all the time.  
  
Blasts Cleopatra- Thanks for the review. We do indeed like twists.  
  
Lady Sista- Hehe...thanks....I started reading so many different fanfics myself that I had to cut back. 


	10. Chapter Ten: Of Hate and Revenge

GNA: Hey look! New chapter AND new divider! Now isn't that fun?  
  
GNL: . . . Excuse GNA. She is suffering from parting anxiety.  
  
GNA: Oh, shut it. By the way, I'm sorry about the chapter. . . it's more drama. . . and . . . and . . . THERE WILL ONLY BE TWELVE CHAPTERS TO YEAR SIX! *sobs*  
  
GNL: Not again . . . should have seen her when she finished the last chapter to this year. . .don't worry, though, year seven is thirty chapters long, and will be posted with this one since we can't come up with another title. OK. That's enough for updates. On with the show!  
  
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CHAPTER TEN: OF HATE AND REVENGE  
  
"Today we are reviewing for the End of year exams," Professor Walton said. Their professor that day was the laid back substitute for Defense Against the Dark Arts, who had a strange obsession with a muggle film he had seen once, Godzilla. "We'll begin with boggarts."  
  
"Boggarts?" sniffed Malfoy, who was lounging regally in his seat with a group of other Slytherins, including Bellatrix and Snape. "Any first year could hand a boggart. Well, any Slytherin first year; Gryffindors normally wet their pants whenever one is mentioned." Laughter from the Slytherins, and angry mutterings from the Gryffindors fluttered around the room after his comment.  
  
"Now, now none of that. Whether or not you think they are easy to deal with they will probably appear on the exams, so you may want to review them." Said Walton coldly to the Slytherin sixteen year old.  
  
After reviewing the spell 'riddikulus' Walton allowed them to practice on a real boggart. One by one the students faced the shape-shifter, and James waited expectantly for his turn and own fear. While he waited, rather curious about what he would see, Remus was taking his turn. When the boggart saw him it turned into a silvery orb: the moon. James glanced around at the mystified faces of the class.  
  
"Riddikulus!" Remus shouted, and the orb fell to the floor as.... Swiss cheese!  
  
Several people later it came to Snape, and he smugly approached the boggart. A show tune singing banshee disappeared, and in it's placed appeared...  
  
"Me?" James stared at the boggart. It was him, and he was pointing his wand directly at Snape, laughing victoriously. A burst of imaginary light shot towards Snape.  
  
"James beating Snape," Lily whispered to Alice.  
  
Snape, glaring at both James', shouted "Riddikulus!" and the form grew taller, with much darker hair and paler eyes. The room's whisperings went silent. The figure fell to the ground, and crumpled in a heap. Snape grinned evilly. James went rigid with shock.  
  
"Dad." he muttered, horrified.  
  
Sirius was gripping his wand so tightly that it looked ready to snap, and raised it with a terrible growl. Lily held her hand out to stop him.  
  
"Don't!" she hissed. Sirius didn't hear, or at least didn't respond. "You won't accomplish anything! You'll just get in trouble for fighting!" She glanced at Remus for help, but he looked ready to tear Snape apart limb-by- limb as well. Professor Walton, observing the student's tension, volunteered Sirius to finish off the boggart, simultaneously placing him and Snape on opposing sides of the room as Severus walked back to his seat, still glaring.  
  
LJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLLLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJ LJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJL  
  
Lily glanced nervously across the common room at Sirius, Peter, and James, who were sitting in an unusually quiet group by the fire. Peter affrightedly glanced from the wrathful Sirius to the depressed James, not trying to cheer either of them up; he wasn't funny enough. Remus had gone to the hospital wing right before dinner, not feeling well at all.  
  
Suddenly, Sirius stood up muttering something about a letter to James and Peter, before striding out the portrait hole.  
  
"I wonder where he's off to." Lily murmured.  
  
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As he entered the stuffy dark owlery, Sirius saw a figure standing at one of the windows: Snape. He was staring intently out the window at something on the grounds, his eyes squinted from peering so hard.  
  
"Snivellus." Sirius muttered angrily. Snape whirled around, hearing Black's livid voice behind him.  
  
"What are you doing here Black?" he spat, angry that he had been surprised.  
  
"Maybe the real question is what I am going to do to you!" Sirius snarled with a distorting sneer on his face.  
  
"What? Is little Potter crying like a baby in his room?"  
  
"Thinking of yourself, are you?"  
  
Snape laughed coldly and glanced out the window. "Damn!" he muttered.  
  
"What are you watching?" asked Sirius suspiciously, and he walked over to a nearby window. Madam Pomfrey was walking across the grounds towards the castle- alone.  
  
"Oh, I see," Sirius said wrathfully, "You thought you were going to get Remus expelled, eh? Can't ever mind your own business, can you Snivellus?"  
  
Snape's pale face tinged with color at his degrading nickname.  
  
"I wouldn't talk like that, Black!"  
  
"HA. And why not, Snivelly?"  
  
"I know things about you that would make your hair curl." He said menacingly, grinding the words out with precision.  
  
"What would that be? I dropped a dung bomb on an ickle firstie?"  
  
"Besides your immature little pranks, Black? Oh yes, I know things. Or should I say Padfoot. . ."  
  
Sirius' eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed into slits.  
  
"Fine then, Snivelly, if you want to know where we go so badly, why don't you just follow him?" Sirius growled, his face slowly becoming more relaxed and cocky as a particularly nasty thought entered his head.  
  
Snape gave Sirius a loathing glare, his face turning an almost natural color.  
  
"What? Can't get past the tree?" Sirius smirked. "Pathetic! It's not hard you know. Just touch the knot on its trunk with a long branch...It'll freeze right up."  
  
Snape turned away from Sirius. "More than likely it would rip itself up." He said, angrily storming from the owlery.  
  
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When Sirius returned to the common room, James noticed he had a particularly ugly, satisfied look on his face, bothering him for some reason.  
  
"What's with you?" James asked.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Then what's with the sudden change of mood? I thought you were sending a letter."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." he replied carelessly.  
  
"Sirius, you are a horrible liar."  
  
Sirius smirked, his eyes still blazing. "Oh, it's just a little sweet revenge."  
  
"Sweet revenge on . . ." James paused, then realized the only person it could be. "Snape?"  
  
"Who else?"  
  
"Sirius, stop being a prat and get on with it."  
  
"I just gave him some information he wanted."  
  
"What kind of information?" James asked sharply.  
  
"Just a tip on dealing with Whomping Willow trees."  
  
"YOU DID WHAT!?!?!" James shouted. The common room hushed, and all eyes turned to the two. He angrily strode over to the portrait hole.  
  
"Hey, where are you going? What's wrong?" Sirius called, jogging to catch up to him, Peter tagging along behind as well.  
  
"SIRIUS, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!! HE COULD DIE!!" yelled James the instant he stepped into the corridor.  
  
"I don't know if he'll actually try it! He didn't seem to believe me anyways."  
  
"OF COURSE HE WILL! WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU!"  
  
"Well--whatever he gets he deserves!" Sirius retorted angrily. His usual calm and cool demeanor was gone with his best friend yelling at him.  
  
James ran then, all the way from the Gryffindor tower, past the classrooms, and finally to the door in the Entrance hall, where he could see Snape down by the Whomping Willow, studying it with a long branch in his hand.  
  
"SNAPE!! DON'T!" bellowed James as he sprinted towards him.  
  
Snape reached the branch out and tapped the knot. The tree instantly stood completely still. With a look of triumph he hurried forward and slipped into the hole between the tree's roots. James cursed as he disappeared, and raced after him.  
  
When James arrived at the tree a minute later he quickly picked up Snape's discarded branch. As soon as the tree was stilled he jumped down the hole into the dark passageway.  
  
"Lumos!" he muttered, and his wand lit up brilliantly. He ran down the tunnel, stumbling on the uneven floor.  
  
After more minutes of running, James could see Snape's retreating form; he was obviously running as fast as he could to get to the end of the tunnel.  
  
"Snape!" he cried, panting. "Don't...Come back...you don't know what's up there...."  
  
"I'm not falling for that, Potter!"  
  
"Damn it, Snape, will you listen to me!" he yelled. Snape disappeared around a bend. As James took the bend, he saw Snape stood frozen in place. At the end of the tunnel was a fully-grown werewolf, emitting earsplitting howls.  
  
"Snape, get away from there!" whispered James fiercely. Snape didn't move. James, desperate, grabbed him by the arm and dragged him backwards.  
  
"Come on, damn it!" he yelled, giving up the quiet approach. The werewolf's head snapped in their direction, still howling in misery. James ran, Snape weighing him down as he half-stumbled down the rough tunnel. Snape finally cam to his senses, and yanked his arm away. He ran down the hall at breakneck speed, while the wolf pounded behind them.  
  
A stitch formed in James' side and his breath tore at his throat, but the thought of the werewolf behind him drove him on. They finally reached the end of the tunnel, with the terrifying sounds of the wolf fading. James kicked at Snape as he climbed up, and scrambled out of the tunnel. At last they collapsed safely outside the perimeter of the tree.  
  
Footsteps and yells echoed in the distance, and soon they where surrounded by several ashen-faced people, Dumbledore, Sirius, Peter, and Madam Pomfrey, and James sighed exhaustedly . . .  
  
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"I am quite surprised at you, Black, Snape, Potter. I would never have thought you would do something this dangerous," said Professor Dumbledore demurely as he stared at them from across his desk.  
  
James, Snape, and Sirius were sitting across from Dumbledore's large desk, shining with polish and age. A phoenix was looking at them through bleary, rheumy eyes, and the room itself was lit with the glow of candles in sconces all around the room. The pictures of past headmasters were glaring down at them disapprovingly, some shaking their heads and others openly reprimanding them. The old, disapproving atmosphere was quite claustrophobic for the three young boys, and their apprehension at the very severe punishment that was undoubtedly coming made it all the more worse.  
  
Albus unlaced his fingers and stood, going to a cabinet and pulling out a basin.  
  
"Peter Pettigrew informed me of your whereabouts, and I immediately brought the situation to the attention of Madame Pomfrey. She seemed to think that there was not a time more dangerous for a group of insubordinate boys to be chasing after a werewolf . . . a werewolf in the middle of a painful transformation." James and Sirius both had looks cross their faces, but Snape's was a mask of disgust, anger, and fear.  
  
Dumbledore placed the basin on his desk and pulled out his wand, laying it beside the basin lovingly.  
  
"Mr. Severus, I do believe a detention is in order. Would you care to go inform your head of house that you will be serving it on the 30th?" It sounded more like an order than a request, but despite this fact Snape merely nodded and stalked off, shocked that all he had was a night's detention. Dumbledore waited until he left to turn to Sirius and James, both bowing their heads under his gaze.  
  
Instead of immediately speaking to them though, he picked his wand up and placed its tip to his temple, and away from it drew a silvery substance. When he placed it in the bowl, Snape's angry face spun about for a moment, falling unpleasantly into James as he yelled after Severus, then merged into Peter's face, pink and sweaty as he ran to Dumbledore. More pictures flashed up, and it soon swirled so quickly that Dumbledore literally couldn't keep up with his own thoughts, and they finally fell into the rest as the memories ended.  
  
He sighed with relief, and upon looking up, saw that James and Sirius were staring at the basin with a mixture of curiosity and tension.  
  
"Sirius-"started Dumbledore, and he smiled when he jumped. "Would you care to explain why you told Mr. Snape the secret to the Whomping Willow?"  
  
Sirius hung his head in shame. I don't think I can defend my actions..." he lifted his face, a bit of his Siriusness flaring up, and with a grin said "especially to Albus Dumbledore!" Despite all his cockiness, even Sirius black knew that he could defend himself all day, and although Dumbledore might understand his actions he would never condone them.  
  
"Why is that?" asked Albus, his serious demeanor shone through for a moment with bemusement.  
  
"Well . . . because it was wrong, and unforgivable and all that. Nothing I can say will make it better."  
  
"Wrong indeed, yet it remains to be seen whether it is unforgivable. I think that it is up to Mr. Lupin to decide that."  
  
Sirius winced at this pronouncement.  
  
"That may be the worst punishment of all; to tell your friend you have betrayed his trust. But I leave that task up to you. As for a more formal punishment, I can hardly allow you off. Yet I do not believe that a suspension from school would be suitable. So. . ." He transfigured a drab bit of cloth peeking from a desk drawer into a piece of parchment and quill, and quickly scribbled a few lines down. "You will be serving detentions for three weeks, as well as apologizing to Mr. Snape."  
  
Sirius nodded, knowing that what Dumbledore had said was true, and hating the thought of the look on Moony's face when he told him what had happened. Dumbledore let him go back to the common room, then turned to James who had been sitting silently throughout Sirius' reparation, a different sort of look flitting across his face for a moment; pity.  
  
It was very obviously not for the situation, though, but for James' absolute haggardness. He hadn't recovered yet, from the loss of his father and the huge amount of change at Hogwarts. He was rather liked a kicked puppy; moping and sorry for himself, but actually hurt.  
  
"James, I am proud of your actions tonight. They showed the bravery and valor that only a true Gryffindor would have, and I am glad you did not let your hatred of Mr. Snape bar your good judgment." said Dumbledore, gazing levelly at James. "Though it is left to be said whether you are feeling truly brave."  
  
James looked at Dumbledore confusedly at this. "Professor?" he said.  
  
Dumbledore still looked at him with that twinkling gaze, tempered by all sorts of thoughts James wished the headmaster would just lay out before him.  
  
"Your father, Mr. Potter, was one of the best men I knew." Said Albus, and James leaned back, aghast. No one had spoken to him about his dad at all. He had a very strange feeling Dumbledore had been waiting to talk about his dad since Christmas.  
  
"I'm sure you know perfectly well that he was an excellent wizard, though he had a habit of throwing himself in harms way, like yourself tonight. He was reckless in his protection of those he loved. Without your father's death, though, the course of time would have been much worse. It was his bravery, in fact, that made that first attack end so quickly. Has anyone told you what happened?"  
  
"No." said James, and his voice nearly broke in dread.  
  
"On Christmas, your father and mother were at Diagon Alley presenting in the ceremony, and William was one of the first to start fighting against the death eaters, despite your mother's protestations that there was nothing he could do against Voldemort. Miss Elizabeth immediately alerted Alastor Moody as quickly as she could apparate to his home, and the two alerted the rest of the aurors, leading them back to Diagon Alley."  
  
James' face was stony, or maybe it was more stormy, like Dumbledore was giving him a medicine that caused temporary sickness. Albus was still holding James' gaze, forcing him to listen.  
  
"Meanwhile, your father was fighting against dozens of death eaters, succeeding in capturing several. But there was one, of course, that was impossible to beat; Voldemort himself." Dumbledore stopped his speech, and pulled the bowl towards himself.  
  
"Sometimes, things are better seen than heard, and more truly understood." he said, and touched the substance with his wand. It roiled for a moment, then an image appeared in it; all James could see was the main street in Diagon Alley. He leaned forward to see with a sick anticipation, and realized he would have to stand up and look in at a close angle if he wanted to get a glimpse of the tiny movements that seemed to be coming from the left corner. . .  
  
His nose grazed the surface as he leaned to look, and instantly, he was sucked into the scene, landing with a thump on the hard ground. His ears rang terribly from the screams and yelling that were coming from all around him, and he jumped up in surprise and loathing as a black hooded figure swooped by, sporting a large hooked nose and greasy, lank hair, his pale face grim and deadly.  
  
The death eater, Snape, was walking towards the center of the melee, where a tall man with dark, dark hair and pale eyes, was standing before Voldemort.  
  
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By the time James got back to the common room, he was so tired and dazed that he tripped in, while Peter rushed over to help him and Lily and Sirius jumped up, Lily with her green eyes wide and scared, and Sirius looking aghast at James' late, clumsy arrival.  
  
"What in bloody hell happened?" he asked the moment James was sitting down, but he shoved Peter and Sirius away and went straight to the dormitory, not uttering a sound. Sirius was about to follow, but Lily held him by his arm.  
  
"Don't. Something isn't-he's not-"She couldn't put her thoughts to words, so she let the sentence fade away, paler than James' face when he had come in.  
  
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GNA: There you go! The long-awaited chapter ten! It wasn't the best (at all) in my opinion, but it is pivotal to the plot in later chapters, so if it seems bungled up now, *repeats from previous chapter* All will be revealed with ti-  
  
GNL: . . .  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
Thank yous!  
  
Since so many people have reviewed...and we have to do thank yous for Chapter Nine as well as the preview of Chapter 10 The personal thankyous have been suspended for this chapter. Just so you all know we appreciated and loved your comments. And now in no particular order...  
  
Thanks to.....  
  
Krw313  
  
Susan Heart  
  
Lady of Masbolle  
  
Child-of-Scorpio  
  
GNA Sis  
  
Rachel  
  
Sarah (Miss Mrpk)  
  
Erin (J.E.A.R.K. Potter)  
  
morph  
  
NonChallant  
  
VampChick001  
  
Late Bloomer 04 


	11. Chapter Eleven: Quidditch

GNA: *cries* This chapter was impossible! I kept editing and editing but it never got better...it was like my worst nightmare come true!  
  
GNL: If your worst nightmares came true, you would be dead.  
  
GNA: Good point. Well, I can only say that if you are still looking forward to this chapter after all this time passed you are a most true reader/reviewer. *claps despite tears*  
  
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CHAPTER ELEVEN: QUIDDITCH  
  
James woke to a cool breeze, and the mutterings of Sirius and Peter. It was morning, and he felt strangely rested. The weather outside testified his mood; on the lawn he could see, from his un-shut curtains, a clear, cool, spring-like morning, and bright sunshine shone on his face.  
  
Potter didn't move, but Sirius and Peter noticed he was awake.  
  
"Potter, I find you absolutely sad; you rescue the one person you hate most, yell at your best friend for his mistakes, then have a nice long chat with the headmaster of Hogwarts about it like it were the weather!"  
  
"Speaking of which, it looks absolutely fantastic outside. . ." said James, his voice a little rough but completely normal, better than he had sounded in weeks, months. Sirius blinked.  
  
"You. . . alright, mate?" he asked.  
  
"You know Sirius, Dumbledore is brilliant."  
  
"Prongs," Black's voice was completely blunt. "Get over whatever little emotional epiphany you've had and tell me what the hell happened."  
  
To that, he shrugged, stretched, and ruffled his hair, saying "What's the rush?"  
  
"Well, we have a Quidditch game in twenty minutes-"  
  
"THE GAME!!" he yelled in a panicky voice, only then realizing that Sirius wasn't wearing the normal school uniform. "Where are my Quidditch robes!" He jumped out of bed, ripped his trunk open, and threw his books out of the way, making Sirius run for cover on the other side of the room..  
  
"Whoa! Watch it Prongs!" Peter exclaimed, as a book barely missed his head. "Look under your bed."  
  
James threw himself under the bed and emerged with his bright red Quidditch uniform, his face smudged with dust.  
  
"Thanks Wormtail!" he called, sprinting down the stairs into the Common Room. He skidded to a stop by the portrait hole and turned around, spotting a red head.  
  
"Hey Evans! Are you coming to the match?" called James.  
  
"Don't I always Potter?" she replied.  
  
At this, he grinned and sprinted down to the Quidditch pitch, praying that his team wouldn't heckle and jeer him mercilessly for being late.  
  
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"This is it!" James said. "What we've been working for all year! We've got . . ."  
  
"Talent" whispered Sirius.  
  
" . . . Talent," said James.  
  
"Dedication..." Sirius muttered.  
  
" . . . Dedication," said James.  
  
"And . . ."  
  
"And if you don't shut up Sirius I am going stick a biting teacup in your boxers."  
  
The Quidditch team laughed, nervously spinning their brooms in their hands.  
  
"Now I know this is a big game, but I have confidence that you will all play your best. They may be as good as us, but we have something they don't; brains. Now lets get out there and show those slimy Slytherins what Quidditch means!" the team whooped and ran out onto the field, as the Hufflepuff some called Tim voice boomed over them, announcing their names, laughter as he said "The gorgeous and talented Andromeda Black, and a roar of approval when "James Potter, captain and seeker," was heard.  
  
Madame Hooch walked out briskly, and said "Captains, shake hands." Lucious Malfoy and James walked toward each other, and shook hands like they were out to kill, which they were.  
  
Madame Hooch spoke again, talking around the shrill whistle clamped in her teeth.  
  
"Teams, mount your brooms." She kicked open a set of Quidditch balls, blew her whistle, and the game began. James bounded into the air, leaving all nervousness behind. He was confident they would win, and didn't mind showing it by doing a lap around the field, while the crowd roared. He halted in front of the Gryffindor stands, searching for the red speck. He finally saw Lily in the very center, and he flew in closer.  
  
"Glad you could make it!" he yelled to Lily. She rolled her eyes, but they suddenly grew large.  
  
"Potter, look out!" James glanced back and saw a bludger flying at him, hit by MacNair. He rolled on his broom, and felt his hair ruffled as it glanced past. The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs all said, "Ooh!" before cheering again. Lily was glaring at James.  
  
"What kind of Captain are you!" she yelled, as Tim announced the score: 10 to 0, Slytherin.  
  
"Get out there Potter!" James grinned cheekily and flew off, his hair whipped back from the speed.  
  
An hour later, James looked shocked and bedraggled. The score was 40-0, Slytherin, and he had no idea how it had happened; their team was obviously superior. He called a time-out.  
  
"What is going on up there!" he yelled at his worn-out team, whom winced. "This is the most pitiful I have seen you! EVER! Now you get back up there and show some improvement, or blood will be shed! Do you understand!"  
  
The team nodded. James sighed, and mussed his hair distractedly.  
  
"Look, here's what we'll do. Bagman, Black, I want you to beat the Slytherins into a pulp-"Sirius and Ludo looked at each other with evil in their eyes, "-But only by playing by the rules, of course. Frank, tighten up defense and get Black and Bagman to stay closer to the goals, like in drills. Wood, Andromeda, get your lazy butts moving! I expect to see some points up there, and soon. Now, get out there! We are not going to get this close to the Quidditch cup and lose it! AGAIN."  
  
The team kicked off again, and the game resumed. Soon the Slytherin and Gryffindor teams were soaked in sweat, despite the high speeds and a slight breeze. The Slytherins were miles ahead, approximately 50 miles to be exact, but despite that fact they were getting down and dirty. Already James had to pull a reserve out because Wood was hit in the head with a bludger, hard.  
  
James was getting desperate to find the snitch, but the weather was making it nearly impossible. The sun was slowly arching it's way over the sky, glaring off the landscape and blinding James, and thick clouds could be seen coming over the Forbidden Forest, pushed by the breeze. He cursed under his breath when Slytherin got another ten points. Gryffindor had yet to get ANY. James flew around the stadium again, trying to catch a glimpse of gold in the hazy sunlight, but he couldn't see a blasted thing. Thunder boomed in the distance even as he looked, and a sudden gust of wind knocked him off course . . .  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
Two hours later, everyone was exhausted and soaked. A fierce storm had broken over Hogwarts, and James still hadn't found the snitch. As he flew high above the game, he noticed Malfoy diving toward the ground. James instantly flew towards him, afraid that he might have seen the snitch. The wind and rain ripped at the two as they sped headlong towards the ground. James painstakingly made his way closer, when he noticed that Lucious was pulling up from the ground. James kept flying towards it, and pulled up at the last second.  
  
Everyone was hesitantly cheering, but they couldn't tell if they had actually caught the snitch or not, and if they had, who was holding it.  
  
Lucious was glaring at James, obviously angry about his greater display of Quidditch prowess. Malfoy's feint had been good, but James' had been absolutely fantastic. He growled at James and flew back in the air, James following.  
  
The crowd groaned in disappointment. Everyone was soaked to the bone, and several were even trudging back up to the castle. The events in the next few minutes, though, would halt anyone else from leaving, as the game went from dirty to downright filthy . . .  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
"And Wood, just recovered from the last bludger, is hit yet again by Parkinson!" yelled Tim enthusiastically. Wood had been hit in the head again, and he flew down in a zigzag fashion. James groaned. The reserve came back up, looking completely exhausted. The game had been going on for another hour, totaling up to 4. James ground his teeth.  
  
"Where is the blasted snitch!" he muttered, casting about in the rain. Still, nothing. As he looked about, he realized that the stands were rather emptier than they had been. Worried, James looked to the place where Lily had been, and was proud to see that she was still there, sopping wet and cheering.  
  
"She's insane." He said, and sped by her place. He grinned when he heard her cheer. Obviously, house spirit overrode old enmities in this situation. The game continued on.  
  
"Black tosses to Black, who passes back to Black, OH, Who is blocked by LeStrange! That's right, Gryffindor, still no goal for you! Better tell Potter to get a move on!"  
  
The crowd roared at James. He winced.  
  
"Now Slytherin has the ball-Flint, Avery, and Nott seem to have an unbeatable chemistry out there, eh? Unfortunately, Gryffindor doesn't seem to have the same BANG."  
  
At that moment, MacNair hit Ludo Bagman with his beater stick, and the two started pounding at each other. Unfortunately, Bagman was only a second year, and he was soon ready to fall off his broom from the volley of attacks. Madame Hooch blew on her whistle furiously, and realizing they weren't going to stop, mounted her own broom, still blowing the whistle. She barely made it up to the fray before Ludo slipped off his broom. He started falling, and James and the Gryffindor team lunged forward. Potter raced down, reached out, and managed to grab his arm. He yanked upwards as his broom jolted, and Andromeda Black flew underneath them as they landed. Bagman looked the worse for wear: he had a split lip, numerous bruises, and he was favoring one leg. He limped off the field, Andromeda helping him.  
  
"Like I said," said Tim, "no BANG."  
  
Sirius, frustrated with the game in general, flew up to Tim and yelled at him.  
  
"YOU WANT SOME BANG, TIM! I'LL GIVE YOU BANG!" He u-turned, and flew straight at Malfoy, the closest Slytherin. He wound up, and punched him in the jaw. Madame Hooch blew her whistle again, shaking her head as Malfoy shook his head furiously, spattering blood on Sirius.  
  
"Well! It looks like a penalty for Slytherin AND Gryffindor! Now, now Black, no need for rude gestures like that!"  
  
McGonagall coughed loudly.  
  
"Righto! First up, Slytherin!"  
  
Avery took the quaffle, and Frank clenched his fists. Avery threw and-  
  
"Another 10 points for Slytherin team, bringing up the score to 120, 0. Lets see if Andromeda Black can make a better attempt at BANG than-Right, Professor. She's setting up, better ignore that blood, Malfoy, and-YES! Points for Gryffindor!"  
  
The Gryffindor stands roared, cheering Andromeda's name as she did a quick victory lap. Sirius flew over and bear-hugged her, whooping.  
  
"Back to earth, Gryffindor! The score is still 120 to 10, Slytherin, but the weather is absolutely smashing, don't you think Professors?"  
  
McGonagall glared at him, water dripping on her face from her hat, while the others merely sniggered or smiled bemusedly.  
  
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James, flying very high above the Quidditch pitch, blinked. Looking around, he realized the rain was letting up greatly, and the sun was peeking on the horizon.  
  
"Now, it looks like only another hour until the sun sets, with the score leaning staggeringly toward the big S. In fact, it looks like the only way they can win the Quidditch cup is if Potter can catch the snitch before sun sets, so no pressure!"  
  
James gave the thumbs up, still looking around. As the sun slowly sank, everything was lit with a golden glow. The snitch would blend right in. He called another time out.  
  
"Time out for Gryffindor!" The Slytherins flew down with the other team, looking much more energetic than their bedraggled and beaten contenders.  
  
"Look, we are exhausted." Said James to his team, who looked like something the cat dragged in, "and we need a break. Frank, pull out your reserve, and you too Black's." The three groaned at him. "Look, it's only for a few minutes. I'll switch off in a while, so we can really win this thing. I need you to be at your best so they can't get any more points.  
  
"But Potter, you don't have a reserve! What will you do?" pointed out Wood's reserve.  
  
"I'm fine, I'm not injured. Now go, you three, and the rest of you, get a move on. We cannot let them get any more points!"  
  
Black, Black, and Longbottom disappeared, and seconds later, the reserves came out.  
  
"All right team, this is it. If we let them get to 160, we're, frankly, screwed. If we don't see the snitch before sunset, well, that just won't happen. Now here's what we'll do . . ."  
  
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Lily sat in the stands, wringing out her hair in an empty space in front of her. Alice was doing the same, and taking off her cloak and twisting it tightly and shaking it out. Evans sat back, her head much lighter.  
  
"Wonder what Potter's strategy is-get as few points as possible so he looks like a hero when he gets the snitch?"  
  
"No," said Alice, "I think it's more like Frank is having a bad time of blocking the quaffle and James can't see the snitch in this weather. Really, Lily, where's your house spirit!"  
  
"I have more than SOME people!" she snipped as two sopping girls in front of them got up and left.  
  
"Oh, come off it Lily, this game is taking ages, we're all soaked, AND we're losing horribly."  
  
"Shut it."  
  
"Right. Wonder what they're talking about down there?"  
  
"Who knows . . . Oh! They're coming back up!"  
  
The two started cheering loudly, jumping up in excitement.  
  
"And here come the teams!" roared Tim. "Looks like Black, Black, and Longbottom are taking a quick break from the game!"  
  
James, still flying high, lost focus on the voice, as he looked around frantically, checking the height of the sun every now and then. Malfoy was tailing just a ways off, waiting for Potter to find the snitch for him. The two watched each other warily, Malfoy still bleeding a little and making him look paler than usual. Lucius started taunting James, flicking his hand at MacNair, who nodded.  
  
"Well it looks like the dream team just had a wake-up call, eh, Potter?"  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy." Spat James, still searching. Suddenly he groaned; the score was 150 to 10. Without the other teammates, they had absolutely fallen apart. James flew down, gesticulating at the reserves. James pulled Frank and the Blacks back in, apologizing for taking them out of the game.  
  
"It looks like the whole Gryffindor team is up there now! Lets see how much BANG-right once again, Professor! Slytherin is, surprise surprise, in possession of the quaffle."  
  
Malfoy sniggered as James flew back up into heights that a sane person would be sick at, still looking around. The golden glow had intensified as the bottom scoop of the sun touched the lake.  
  
"Surprised, Potter? You shouldn't be. Your team IS rather horrible; even you can't say it isn't-Longbottom! It's no wonder you're losing. He couldn't block a ball if his life depended on it. And Black! He's too busy attacking people to even help!" James grit his teeth and glared, but kept looking.  
  
"I'm amazed your team even made it this far, Potter! Either YOU, their perfect seeker and captain," he spat menacingly, "is off being a prat, or you're trying to snog that mudblood." He laughed cruelly when he saw James eyes narrow, and his hands grip his broom handle so tightly they were white about the knuckles.  
  
"Do not talk about Lily that way." He ground out, his attention finally snapping towards Malfoy.  
  
"Why shouldn't I? It's the truth. That is what she is, a dirty, stinking, disgusting mudblood whore-"  
  
James lunged forward with both hands, ready to strangle him. As he reached forward, a bludger came hurtling behind him and hit him in the back, and MacNair stood holding the beater stick and laughing.  
  
"Bloody Hell! Potter, grab your broom!" yelled Tim as James arched his back in pain and started falling, his hands reaching out into space. The whole of the Gryffindor team raced forward on their brooms, but James was too high and falling too quickly. The only person near enough to stop him was Sirius, but he was a hundred feet directly beneath him . . .  
  
WHAM  
  
Fifty feet from the ground, James ran into Sirius and the two tumbled to the ground, landing in the slush with a thwack. The crowd hushed as Sirius pulled himself out of the muck slowly, and then realized James wasn't moving. He started shaking him by the shoulders, yelling for Madame Hooch . . .  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
James cracked his eyes open a sliver, but all he could make out was a white buzzing. The first thing he could distinguish from everything else was that he was lying in something cold and wet, his back was on fire, and that his shoulders were being shaken rather violently, and he felt a slap.  
  
"James! Bloody hell, James, wake up!" yelled Sirius. His eyes slowly adjusted, and he realized he was lying on his back, in the mud of the Quidditch pitch, and several scarlet-clad figures and a spiky-haired witch were leaning over him worriedly. He groaned. He turned his head slightly, trying to accustom himself to the pain, and he realized that it was getting rather dark. The golden glow had completely faded from the landscape, and it was being replaced with a milky luminescence as steam rose from the sopping ground.  
  
"Help me up!" he said, and 10 hands reached down and pulled him up slowly. He touched his back, but pulled back sharply. A huge, tender bruise had risen there, and James could tell it was scraped slightly, probably from running into Sirius' broom. The worst pain came from his backbone though; every time he turned his back or even his head the fire would come back and he would start to double over.  
  
"You alright mate?" asked Sirius worriedly.  
  
"Y-yeah, I'll be fine."  
  
"Potter, I cannot let you play if you are seriously injured. Are you sure? Do you even know how far you fell!" said Madame Hooch, looking up at the sky and back down again.  
  
"Yeah, I think I'll be fine. Now-ow-someone get me my br-oh, thanks Frank." He took his broom from Frank, who had been holding it out expectantly. He took hold of it, swaying for a moment as he lost balance. The crowd cheered again when they saw him get on his broom. Malfoy and the Slytherin team were staring open-mouthed as he flew slowly back up, gaining speed as he went. James Potter had fallen from the height of the North Tower, but he was still going to play!?  
  
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Potter was calling up 5 years of Quidditch training at this point, glaring at anything that moved to find the snitch. Only a few minutes were left before sunset, and if he didn't find it now, the Slytherins would undoubtedly win. Unfortunately, those five years were being wasted on keeping on his broom. The pain in his back was astounding, and whenever he moved, a jolt of pain would carry through his spinal cord, making it difficult to even fly.  
  
James suddenly recalled a story his father had told him from his own Quidditch days; one of their important team members had had a nasty fall, and hurt his back. He kept on playing, though, and ended up losing control of arm movement. From that game on, his arms would involuntarily spasm, and he ended up getting in serious trouble with the Minister of Magic for "inappropriate gestures" at a job interview.  
  
James laughed bitterly. Hopefully, it would not go to that extreme. Or, at least he could only lose control of his ears, which would make a good icebreaker at parties . . .  
  
Suddenly, Potter caught a glimpse of gold out of the corner of his eye . . .  
  
"WAIT! POTTER HAS SEEN THE SNITCH!" roared Tim as James sped away, straight at MacNair's turned back.  
  
"MACNAIR'S TURNING AROUND! POTTER IS CLOSING, CLOSING . . . YES! OOOH, THAT WON'T BE PRETTY IN THE MORNING MACNAIR! BUT JAMES POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS BY TEN POINTS! WHAT A TURN-AROUND! TAKE THAT, SLYTHERIN! NO QUIDDITCH CUP FOR YOU THIS YEAR! FINALLY! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT A BUNCH OF BA-"  
  
McGonagall yanked the magical microphone away from Tim, wagging her finger and yelling furiously at him.  
  
On the Quidditch pitch, James had been engulfed in a mass of gold and scarlet, his hand still clutching the snitch in the air above him. It had been years since Gryffindor had won the cup, and now they were more than willing to yell themselves hoarse in victory, and the crowd was doing so with relish. The Slytherins came down looking beaten and angry, their own stands silent and icy, while the Gryffindors rushed to the pitch to congratulate their team players . . .  
  
HPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPL  
  
Lily rushed down the steps, eager to join in the celebrations, and she burst out onto the field with hundreds of other Gryffindors. The darkness was starting to strain her eyes, but the half-dusk lit up the shining brooms well enough to find them. Alice screeched with delight, and disgust, when Frank broke himself away from the other team members and hugged her, laughing.  
  
"You are disgusting, Frank!" she laughed, wiping at her damp cloak.  
  
"BUT WE WON!" he yelled, and shook his fist in the air as the others hooted.  
  
Alice hugged Frank tightly, giving him such a kiss that the other members started whooping. Lily laughed at the two, and walked over to the rest of the team. As they passed on their way to the locker rooms, she congratulated them. Black winked at her, tossing his head in the direction of James. He was still mobbed, and he had a pained look on his face. In fact, that look of 'I feel like I'm dying' was quite intense . . .  
  
"Potter, are you alright?" asked Lily a few minutes later, as James shoved the others away and walked toward her. He grinned and ran a grimy hand through his hair.  
  
"Of course I am! Why would you think I wouldn't be!? We just won the Quidditch game!"  
  
Lily rolled her eyes.  
  
"If you were fine you wouldn't be stooped like that, and you wouldn't look like you were in pain. You fell almost 20 stories! Of course you're hurt, or something. Really, Potter, how dense do you think I am?" His smile faded a bit and he pondered her answer a moment.  
  
"I don't think you're at all dense. I think that you are the least dense person I know. In fact, you are so un-dense, that I think you may have hit the nail on the head. I better go to Madame Pomfrey now." James started hobbling away. Lily knit her brows together worriedly.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"I thought you knew the answer to that."  
  
"Right. WILL you be alright?" He turned back and called "If I have a pretty girl to walk me to Madame Pomfrey, I will be!"  
  
"Oh. Well, I'll just be going then-"  
  
"No, come off it, Lily, can you please walk me to the Hospital Wing?" James asked desperately. "My back is hurting me a bit."  
  
"Well . . .I may as well. There's no point in seeing the 'star Quidditch player' be permanently disabled." James grinned at Lily as she started walking towards the castle.  
  
"Evans, I think you actually meant that! So that's why you wanted to walk near me . . ."  
  
"No I didn't, Potter!"  
  
"I could tell by the entranced look in your eyes . . ."  
  
The two argued their way up to the Hospital wing, not noticing the mob behind them holding up the rest of the Quidditch team, hurriedly changed.  
  
HPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPL  
  
Madame Pomfrey was tapping her foot impatiently at the door to the infirmary, waiting for the injured seeker. She had been alerted beforehand by Professor McGonagall of the fall, and already had a vile-looking potion ready.  
  
James felt wonderful, besides his back. He had just won the biggest Quidditch game of the year, Lily Evans had walked all the way to the hospital wing without slapping him, or hurting him in any way, and they had ended up having an almost decent conversation. At the moment, though, there was an uncomfortable silence. James thought for a moment, then thought of the perfect topic to discuss.  
  
"You know, I hope I don't end up like someone my dad knew . . ."  
  
By the time James was finished telling the story, Lily was laughing helplessly, mocking James' idea of wiggling ears.  
  
"Really, Potter, how absurd!" she broke into laughter again. "Wriggling ears! I would have chosen something a LITTLE less noticeable! Maybe my toes, or a chronic eye twitch-"  
  
"I cannot understand why anyone would EVER play such a dangerous and mad sport! Really, I have set more broken body parts than you know from that Quidditch!" broke in Madame Pomfrey, still standing, tapping her foot, and watching the two come closer.  
  
"So what is it Potter? Arm? Leg? Neck?"  
  
"Uh . . .No."  
  
"Well then, foot? Wrist?"  
  
"No-My back."  
  
"YOUR BACK! How long have you been playing like that, Potter?! Why if I knew I would have taken you out of the game immediately-"  
  
"What? Why weren't you told immediately?" questioned Lily.  
  
"It seems that Professor McGonagall was set on having her house win. But If I have to set a back because of her-really, the most dangerous thing you could injure, stupid, dangerous sport, if you could call it that. . ." Madame Pomfrey marched into the infirmary, picking up various bandages and tonics on the way, and James paused embarrassedly.  
  
"Uh, well Evans, you better leave now."  
  
Lily set her mouth stubbornly.  
  
"And why is that, Potter?"  
  
"Because Madame Pomfrey will have to look at my BACK, that's why. As in-"  
  
"Right! Yes, right." Lily was blushing crimson.  
  
"Unless, of course, you wanted to stay!" James wiggled his eyebrows. "I AM the star of the Quidditch team-"  
  
"Shut up, Potter. What a big-headed prat you can be sometimes!" She was still red, and blushed even more when Madame Pomfrey came back out.  
  
"Mr. Potter, I need you to remove the-Miss Evans, are you leaving or not? I cannot allow you to stay here unless James-"  
  
"I was just going! Goodnight, Potter. I-I expect they will have some sort of celebration up in the common room. I wouldn't want to make you, I mean, I wouldn't want to miss it. Goodnight, Madame Pomfrey."  
  
James grinned as Lily walked off, still holding her head up.  
  
"She's great, isn't she?" asked James rhetorically, as Madame Pomfrey "humphed," and gave hurried hurried instructions before Malfoy, MacNair, and Wood walked in.  
  
HPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPL  
  
Back in the common room, everyone was celebrating with food from the house elves and all sorts of Gryffindor decorations, not to mention a hundred different types of gags and tricks that Sirius had dug up from old marauder days.  
  
It was noisy, warm, and overall, jubilant. Lily walked into the commotion with a smile, and was soon absorbed in a conversation with Alice, Frank, and Peter over the finer points of the game. It was already late, from the length of the game, but no one really cared. It was only when Tawny barged in to break up the commotion that anyone realized it was leaning towards ten, with everyone still full of adrenaline and sugar and excitement. Sirius sauntered over to Tawny, throwing an arm around her shoulder. She looked at him distastefully.  
  
"Black, if you do not stop this, this rabble this instant I will have to get Professor McGonagall!"  
  
"Go ahead, Tawny, but she won't care! At this moment she's celebrating with Flitwick and Sprout!" Sirius cheered as the large Gryffindor banner was brought it. "You know Tawny, I think you should have been a Gryffindor."  
  
She glared.  
  
"Get your arm off me this instant, Black."  
  
"Did I ever tell you your name was funny?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know, it almost sounds like a whore name."  
  
"BLACK!!!"  
  
"Think about it! Tawny the whore. Has a nice ring to it . . . Huh. Maybe you were named that for a reason, eh!" He wiggled his eyebrows.  
  
"DETENTION!"  
  
"Aww, no need for that!" He paused and picked up a package. "Here. Have a wet-start firework!"  
  
Tawny shoved his arm off, and sighing in relent, took the firework.  
  
"Pervert."  
  
"Anytime."  
  
At that moment, James walked in, wearing fresh robes and holding himself unusually tall.  
  
"What's up your butt, Prongs?" asked Sirius lazily, waving goodbye to Tawny.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey put more bandages on me than is humanly possible! I can't even bend over! Look!"  
  
He tried to bend over, but looked like he was doing an eccentric bow. He stood back up, and Ludo Bagman slapped him on the shoulder. James winced.  
  
"Great game, Potter, really great game! Couldn't have done it without you!"  
  
"Heh, yeah, thanks." James scowled as he walked away.  
  
The crowd saw him, and soon he was trapped in a corner by the whole of the Gryffindor house congratulating him again.  
  
"Someone's popular." smirked Lily, who was standing outside the tight group. James smirked back. Sirius started waving his hands in the air, yelling at everyone to "shut your ruddy traps!" They went quiet.  
  
"Look, I hate to say it, but it's getting late and there are classes tomorrow."  
  
Everyone looked at him with disbelieving faces, wondering what had come over him.  
  
"But that doesn't mean the parties over! The Marauders haven't even made an appearance yet! Tomorrow is the day you will all know as –"  
  
McGonagall walked through the portrait hole at that moment, and stood glaring (rather unconvincingly) at the crowd. Everyone scattered, leaving Sirius and an injured James in the epicenter of the mess. Peter, Frank, Alice, and Lily hesitated, not wanting to pile the wrath of Minerva McGonagall on the two unlucky Quidditch players.  
  
"I expect the mess to be cleaned by tomorrow morning, you six. If not, then points-er, you will be severely admonished." They looked at her tersely, expecting to suddenly have detention.  
  
"We don't want to win the Quidditch cup and lose the house cup, now do we?"  
  
They sighed in relief, and grinning, started to clean up the mess.  
  
HPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPL  
  
"Where did you get all of this?" asked Lily, picking up a pile of dung bombs.  
  
"Oh, you know . . .we have our ways." Said Sirius vaguely.  
  
Lily knit her brows at the cryptic response, but continued cleaning. The six had been at work cleaning the common room for an hour, and it was looking much better. Most of the food had been magically disappeared, and now only the numerous other items remained. James had been given a break due to his injury, and he sat very upright in a squashy chair. He was watching the others clean with mild interest, mainly watching Lily. She looked a mess from a day out on a rainy Quidditch pitch and hard labor in the common room, with her hair knotted and face red, but James didn't mind.  
  
He jumped when Frank patted his shoulder lightly, going up to bed. Alice then followed, and Peter. Sirius dumped the prank items onto his cloak sprawled out on the floor, and finding no more, gathered it up.  
  
"Alright, Prongs, I'm heading to bed. You coming?"  
  
"No, I think I'll help finish up." He responded, slowly getting up in the chair. Sirius nodded, glancing between Lily and James, and dragged his makeshift bag up the stairs backwards. Lily watched as James went around picking anything at waist-level up, and when he came across trash lying about on the floor, Lily sighed and walked over.  
  
"You should just ask for help instead of making yourself look like an idiot." She said as James tried to bend over, but found that he couldn't.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey has disabled me more than a crooked back would!" he grimaced. "What sort of Quidditch player am I if I can't even bend my own back!?"  
  
"You are a perfectly fine Quidditch player, just greatly . . .inconvenienced."  
  
"Was that a compliment, Evans!" James challenged her with a look.  
  
"No, but I can't help it if you are decent. I'm only stating a fact."  
  
"It can be the truth and a compliment!"  
  
"True."  
  
James laughed, and Lily smiled lightly.  
  
"Now help me clean the rest of this up, Potter, instead of standing there, STARING at me."  
  
"I wasn't staring."  
  
"Yes you were."  
  
"No I wasn't."  
  
"Yes you were."  
  
"No you weren't."  
  
"Yes I was." Lily stopped, glaring at James. "Potter!"  
  
"Yes, dearest?"  
  
"Get to work. And don't call me-"her nose wrinkled- "dearest."  
  
James grinned at her.  
  
"But that is what you are to me, Evans."  
  
She paused, her face blank, and dropped the trash she was holding.  
  
"I'm going to bed."  
  
"NO! Lily, sorry, it must be the stuff Madame Pomfrey gave me. Don't know what I'm saying. Really, I can't bend over! I need someone to help me! Please, Lily!"  
  
"Fine. But only to make you stop begging."  
  
Lily started to pick up the trash on the floor.  
  
"I wasn't begging!"  
  
"Yes, you were Potter."  
  
"No I wasn't!"  
  
"Yes you were!"  
  
"No I wasn't!"  
  
"Yes you were!"  
  
"No I wasn't!"  
  
"No you weren't!"  
  
"Yes I was!" he rolled his eyes, grabbing the trash from Lily. She smiled demurely.  
  
LJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJL  
  
A half-hour later, the common room was spotless. Even the tables, usually littered with homework and games, were neat.  
  
"Well Evans, I do believe we are finished." James slowly sat down, able to bend a little more after the bandages loosened. He started fidgeting with his hair, messing it up and running his hand through it several times, nervously glancing at Lily, who looked in the same case he was. They sat in silence for a few moments, before Lily silently started making her way towards the girl's dormitory. Potter quickly stood up, wincing as the bandages dug into his stomach.  
  
"Wait, Lily."  
  
"Yes Potter?"  
  
"I just, I was, well, I need to, uh, what I mean is-"  
  
"Are you alright, James?" she asked worriedly, turning back. He did look rather tired, and he was paler than usual.  
  
"No, I'm fine, I was just going to say that, uh . . ."  
  
"Are you sure?" she walked back to where James stood. He looked extremely nervous, and kept running his hand through his hair. She sighed.  
  
"Well, Potter, is it your back?"  
  
"Back? Ah, no, that's just painful. But Lily, I-"  
  
"You know, I was wondering about that." Cut in Lily, her face curious. "Why did you, James Potter, fall off your broom?"  
  
"That's what I'm trying to say Lily!" He rubbed at his face. "I was provoked."  
  
"Well that's not hard to do." She smirked. James looked at Lily for a moment before continuing.  
  
"Did you hear Sirius talking to Tawny?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, Malfoy, that's basically what he said."  
  
"About Tawny!"  
  
"No-about you. I think he was trying to take me out of the game."  
  
"Oh."  
  
The two stood in uncomfortable silence, Lily weighing James' words and James letting out a breath. At least THAT was over. Lily glanced up at James' gaze, and looked down again. She laughed a moment.  
  
"So it is your back."  
  
"I guess you could say that." He chuckled too. They fell silent again.  
  
"What is wrong with it, exactly?" she asked, extremely polite.  
  
"Well, it seems that I bruised the bone, and it's cut slightly from falling on Sirius' broom, and it cannot be moved or it will completely destroy my nervous system, which is besides the torn and mangled tissue of my back that's oozing-but Madame Pomfrey took care of most of that."  
  
"I don't need a detailed description, James!" she said, her hands shaking. James smiled at Lily's nervousness, still present unlike his own. After she had laughed, he didn't feel pushed, and he found himself actually staring at her, too tired to move himself if it wasn't necessary. She did look very pretty, with her hair messy and her eyes glittering and watery from yawning . . .  
  
Lily felt herself freeze up as James smiled at her tiredly, running his hand through his hair again and dropping it at his side. There was something rather unsettling about the way he was looking at her, the way the room seemed to go silent and a ringing in her head start, the way his face was drifting closer to hers almost naturally . . . and the way she didn't mind those things at all. She had the funny feeling of missing a step, in fact, when her own eyes started to close of their own accord and the memory of him comforting her after Lott disappeared surfaced. . .  
  
McGonagall walked in, and jumped when she saw Lily and James, their faces practically touching. Lily seemed to snap out of a trance, and slapped James, albeit weaker than she normally would have. James froze, pulled away, and turned and saw the Professor staring at them.  
  
"W-well! I am completely shocked at the two of you! Down here in the common room, just-just-"  
  
"I'm sorry, Professor!" cut in James, "I-I was just being a git." He grinned ruefully, stepping away from Lily. He looked at Lily, then McGonagall, then Lily again. He cursed himself mentally. "I was just going to bed." With that, he strode out of the room as quickly as possible. Lily stared after him, completely shocked at how close she had come to . . .  
  
"Miss Evans, what is the meaning of this!" said McGonagall sharply.  
  
"What! Oh, well, James and I were talking and-"  
  
"No, not that! The common room! Who helped you?"  
  
"Well, Remus and Sirius and Alice, and Frank at first, but James and I did most of it."  
  
Minerva shook her head in wonder, and glanced at Lily.  
  
"It is certainly-clean. You did an excellent job."  
  
"Thank you, professor."  
  
"Now, it is well past your bedtime, Miss Evans. I would suggest getting to bed."  
  
"Yes, Professor."  
  
McGonagall sighed as Lily turned to.  
  
"I did not, ahem, interrupt-"  
  
"Oh, Oh no! Absolutely not! Like Potter said, he was being a git." Minerva noticed how set her face looked, and surprised and final, and nodded.  
  
"Very well then. Could you tell Potter congratulations for me?"  
  
"Uh, yes, Professor. I-I will tell him."  
  
Lily walked up to her dormitory stiffly, and McGonagall left.  
  
To say the least, it was quite a way to finish the Quidditch season.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPH  
  
GNA: Ta-da! You have just experienced chapter eleven, complete with mindless fluff and Quidditch! Now wasn't that fun?  
  
GNL: What? There was fluff? Oh-you mean the TWO PARAGRAPHS ABOUT THEM ALMOST KISSING!!! 


	12. Chapter Twelve: Final Farewells

GNA: No! Not the final chapter to year six! Anything but that! No! Year six was my baby, my-  
  
GNL: Oh, shut up, for the last time. You have all of year seven to get over it. Speaking of which, there will be a break between year six and seven, while the final chapters are sorted out for the final year...  
  
GNA: You mean the whole story and plot.  
  
GNL: ...Well...that's beside the point. *whacks GNA* And now, for the glorious chapter twelve, the last part to year six!  
  
CHAPTER TWELVE: FINAL FAREWELLS  
  
The year, undoubtedly, was over. Every morning upon waking up, the sun would shine bright and hot on Hogwarts, making students shed their cloaks and flock to the cool lake. Everything had settled into a green, summery newness. That year had been a life-changing one, with Voldemort bursting onto the scene, the massacre, and Lott's arrival and exit. Even Lily Evans and James Potter, two of the most unalterable people in Hogwarts, had changed.  
  
Lily had grown out of her last lingering feelings of bitterness, and enjoyed the days she spent at Hogwarts; laughing with Alice, studying in the quiet library, or relaxing in a chair by the common room fire. Nowadays, though, she did not wander to the North Tower, or let her thoughts dwell on the latest fight with Potter, even thought the two rarely saw each other or spoke. Lily felt happy, wiser, and content. It was a bittersweet victory, though, getting over the grief of the months and years. Her world was irreversibly changed, SHE was irreversibly changed, and she couldn't tell whether it was for better or worse.  
  
Lily, leaning against a gnarled old tree by the lake, smiled to herself. She loved the challenge, though, in all this change, and the hope in the challenge.  
  
James Potter too felt like a whole new person. A bit of grief seemed to suit him, counteracting the still-dwelling remains of his arrogant self. When he'd hang out with the marauders, he goofed off with relish, knowing his next day could be his last. He wanted to live every day his father had lost, and live it fully and respectably for him. The suffocating pain and grief of the murder in him had turned into something else: a burning desire to get rid of that foul creature that took Will Potter from his life. James, lounging by a tree with Sirius, smiled grimly; it was going to be a long, hard, full, wonderful life.  
  
Sirius suddenly flew through James field of vision, tackling a pretty Ravenclaw to the ground. James rolled his eyes, letting them wander slowly over to Lily. She was staring out at the lake and castle, a small smile playing from all her features. He smiled a bit more broadly, and pulled a worn-down snitch from his pocket.  
  
"Lily! I just realized something!" said Alice Deere, who was looking at her friend sadly.  
  
"One year from now we will be doing this same thing . . .but . . .for the last time. It will be the end of Hogwarts for us! I don't know what I want to do with myself, I don't want to leave yet!"  
  
"I know Alice, I feel the same way." Lily spoke quietly, closing her eyes and listening to everyone and everything around her.  
  
Sirius was yelling rather obscene things to a girl, who retorted back laughing, and a chorus of hoots followed. The water lapped very gently at the edge of the lake, a cool breeze moving the water in little waves. Thick foliage from the forbidden Forest rustled and creaked, the occasional animal howling or chittering into the air. As she listened, she caught the sound of James laughing, and a fluttering of tiny feathery wings. Lily snapped her eyes open. James was chasing after a runaway snitch that hovered close to the ground, obviously damaged by use. It came closer and closer, until James ran up to Lily. His hair was its usual messy black self, and his eyes held a sparkle similar to Dumbledore's.  
  
He stopped and looked down at her, while he neatly caught the snitch and held it out to her.  
  
"Potter, you are absolutely daft," she said austerely, "If you think I will ever touch that."  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure!" he replied mischievously, and he sat right in front of her. He started letting the snitch go, getting closer and closer to her face each time he let it loose. Quickly, it was only inches from smacking Lily in the face, and she was getting rather annoyed.  
  
"Potter, I'm warning you!"  
  
Lily didn't sound like she was warning him at all. James winked when he saw Lily start to break out into a hesitant, but real, smile. He said "here," and nodded meaningfully at her, and let the snitch go. She tried to grab it, but only succeeded in brushing its hummingbird fast wings. James grabbed it without moving his eyes from Lily.  
  
"Show off." She muttered, and sat up straight. James nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "Show under!"  
  
"Obnoxious prat!" James opened his mouth, paused, and then opened it again.  
  
"Enjoyable flower!"  
  
"That was absolutely pitiful, you know."  
  
"I do know."  
  
"So was that."  
  
"No it wasn't!"  
  
"Yes it was!"  
  
"No!  
  
"Yes!" cried Lily, laughing outright. James let the snitch go again, and she caught it. Suddenly she jumped up and ran off a distance, holding the snitch out in her hand.  
  
"Don't you dare, Evans!" he yelled, "If you let that snitch go I will-"  
  
"Snog her senseless!" yelled Sirius mockingly. James rolled his eyes.  
  
"No, I was thinking throw her in the lake!" Even Sirius had to agree to this, and they advanced on Evans. Her fingers slowly, slowly went slack. At the last moment, James lunged, and Lily let go. He caught it. He realized he had thrown himself awkwardly close to her, and he blushed and put the snitch in his pocket. He ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"Uh, well Evans, I guess I can't throw you in the lake!" he smiled.  
  
"Yeah . . .I guess so."  
  
Sirius, sensing the situation, suddenly picked Lily up by the waist, threw her over his shoulder, and ran towards the lake. She hit and kicked furiously, but he didn't slow. James groaned and charged after him.  
  
"Sirius, let her go!"  
  
"Oh, come off it James, let me throw her in!"  
  
"Sirius!"  
  
"Oh, all right." He put her down at the edge of the lake. Lily glanced back at James with a smirk, and shoved Sirius in.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
Dumbledore watched the students at the lake from his office, the sounds of a splash and laughter reaching him. He watched as everyone engaged in a water fight, even the giant squid sending a wave over Sirius as it swam for deeper, calmer waters.  
  
"The joys of youth." He said quietly, and turned around. The minister of magic was sitting at his desk, looking disgruntled.  
  
"What do you mean she simply ran off?" he said.  
  
"She simply ran off, after attacking the student." The minister groaned.  
  
"Dumbledore, she was our only spy that could get in touch with-with, well, you know who, without suspicion! Who will we use now!?"  
  
Dumbledore looked at the lake again, and saw a pale boy with limp, greasy hair lurking behind a tree.  
  
"I have a feeling you will soon have your spy, ______. Let time take care of itself."  
  
Dumbledore picked up a bag of candies.  
  
"Now if you will excuse me, I have a water fight to join."  
  
With that, he left the minister of magic in his office, unperturbed by the fact that he was purple in the face and yelling at him.  
  
"Let time take care of itself!? Dumbledore, there is no longer any time!"  
  
LJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJ  
  
Alice watched Lily, James, Remus, and Sirius get soaked, Alice herself hanging back. Frank had joined long ago. She was still dwelling on the fact that they would leave Hogwarts next year. She hadn't figured out what to do with her life, and soon, she was completely lost in uncomforting thoughts.  
  
The other students, however, were watching Dumbledore make his way toward the lake, as they slowly stopped splashing each other.  
  
"I saw you enjoying yourselves, and thought I might join!" said Dumbledore cheerfully, and he held up his bag of candies.  
  
"Lemon drop, anyone?" The students laughed and several flocked around. By the time Dumbledore was almost lemon drop-less, everyone had decided to head up to the castle for fresh clothes or had lain out sunbathing. Albus spotted Alice and walked over.  
  
"You seem rather dry, Miss Deere."  
  
She jumped.  
  
"Oh! Professor, I didn't see you!" Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"You seemed rather busy."  
  
"I-I was just thinking."  
  
"It is one of my favorite past-times."  
  
Alice paused for a moment, took a breath, and decided to confide in the headmaster.  
  
"Well, We, my friends and I, will be leaving soon. We only have one more year."  
  
"Yes. You are most likely unsure of what to do with your life."  
  
"Exactly! But-how did you . . .?"  
  
"You are not the only one concerned about leaving Hogwarts. For example, take your friends Lily and James. Never in all their years have they gotten along. Now, when their time here is drawing to an end, they have put differences behind. I'm certain you worry about the two."  
  
Alice's eyes lit up.  
  
"It would be wonderful if they could get along! Life, well, it would be almost perfect for me then!"  
  
Dumbledore smiled, and nodded towards the marauders. Lily and James were separate from the others, talking while they dried off.  
  
"I would not worry, Miss Deere, about your career choice or your friends. Now if you will excuse me, I must chat with the other students." He leaned down and put his hand to the side of his mouth conspiratorially.  
  
"And I don't want to go back to my office; I left the minister of Magic there!"  
  
Alice said "Professor!" before laughing and running over to Frank, her worries dispelled.  
  
LJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJ  
  
"Lily, could I talk with you?" said James as he ran his hands through his hair, pulling out bits of lake grasses. Sirius shook himself off like a dog, soaking them again. "Somewhere a bit more dry?"  
  
"Uhhhh . . ." said Lily, unsure of whether she really had the courage to talk to Potter like a sane human being. "I-I guess."  
  
They walked a little distance, to where a slight incline made a good place to rest, and the sun struck down on them sharply. James had his hands stuck in his wet pockets, and Lily had hers clasped behind her back. The two sat down.  
  
"Well Potter?" said Lily nervously.  
  
"I-I think we should talk."  
  
"I understood that the first time you said it!" James held up his hand to stop her.  
  
"I think we should talk about this year. I mean, a lot has happened, a lot, and I-I need to clear some things up with you." Lily opened her mouth to speak, but James stopped her again.  
  
"Look, first of all, I did not start that ruddy rumor! Sirius was being a git! I'm not that low, Lily. I wouldn't ever do something that stupid, that immature, that-hurtful to you."  
  
Lily made a face at his apparent opinion of Sirius, but shut her mouth.  
  
"And Lily, about the dueling club-"  
  
"James, I-"  
  
"-You know I would never, ever let Snape beat me at a stupid duel. But what you said, and the look on your face, I, It just made me realize what a 1st class Git I've been. Snape made me choose: you or my pride. I-I chose you, even though I am nothing in your eyes, NOTHING." Lily looked down.  
  
"And then when my father died, Oh God, Lily, I wanted to die! I realized why you hated me, realized I was nothing! I realized why you were bitter, why you hated how unjust I was to everyone-"he rubbed at his eyes fiercely for a moment before continuing.  
  
"I still miss my dad, I always will. Now, though, I feel like I've been changed, that I fight Snape because HE is cruel to others, that I should follow my father's footsteps and fight that creature that killed him. I feel like I have purpose. I hate myself for not realizing beforehand. Maybe my dad could have been proud-"Once again he paused, holding his palms over his eyes as if he were shielding them from the sun.  
  
"I swore to myself that I would never let another person ever be disappointed by me ever again. Then, you ran off, disappeared. I panicked. I was afraid Lott, or Voldemort had gotten you. If YOU were gone too Lily, I, I, I really would have died. I would have failed."  
  
James looked up again. Lily was staring at him with an unreadable expression. A small breeze had made her pull her knees up and wrap her arms around them, ignoring the hair in her face. James chuckled.  
  
"You know, I have been obsessed with you ever since fourth year? I may have dated other girls now and then, but I always kept asking you. I figured you'd give in to my charms sooner or later. You didn't. Still haven't, in fact." He stared at Lily for a long moment.  
  
"Well, just for the record, will you go out with me Evans?" she smirked a little and shook her head no.  
  
"I'd appreciate it if you called me Lily, though."  
  
"I'll be sure to do that Evans . . ." he paused a moment, looking at a group of gray clouds skittering quickly across the sky.  
  
"I-I hope I didn't scare you away permanently."  
  
"No! Potter, you have never scared me. Ever."  
  
James nodded. He bit his lip, tempted to say something to her. He decided: Oh, what the heck. He was in for it anyway.  
  
"Then why are you so afraid."  
  
Lily froze, stood up, and walked away stiffly. James got up and was about to go after her when a hand resting lightly on his shoulder stopped him. Dumbledore stood there, with the usual twinkle in his eye.  
  
"I would not follow her, James. She's already heard too much." James bowed his head.  
  
"I-I just had to tell her, professor."  
  
"I understand. Maybe it was best you told her now. You will be leaving tomorrow." James stuck his hands back in his pockets.  
  
"We do, don't we?" The sky grew dark, and thunder boomed in the distance. A drop of water landed on James' nose. He flicked it off and looked up at the professor.  
  
"You know, I will hate to leave."  
  
"Many students do not want to go home. They do not know what they will find."  
  
"Professor, I know you've been around a while," Albus chuckled, "but you never grow older for us students. Right about now I feel ancient."  
  
"These times are trying. I am starting to feel old myself." Dumbledore looked up at the sky.  
  
"It would be best to get inside now, when you are not completely soaking wet."  
  
"Yeah . . . But, one more thing professor."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Have you figured out women yet?" Once again, Dumbledore laughed.  
  
"No, James, and I never will. Women are the most infinitely complex creatures on earth, and the more you worry about them, the more complex they become."  
  
"Oh. I was hoping you could give me some advice on Lily."  
  
"That is one subject I will never be able to give advice on. Though, for Lily, I think it would be best to let her chew on what you have told her for a while. Do not push her. She has lost a man in her life already."  
  
With that, Dumbledore walked up to the castle, James following.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
Alice and Frank, much dryer and warmer, sat eating lunch with Lily. She looked rather distracted. She kept missing her food, stabbing the table with her fork.  
  
"Lily, you know you're eating the table?" said Frank.  
  
"What? Oh, sorry. I just . . ."  
  
Alice sighed.  
  
"It's Potter, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes . . .I mean, no!" Alice suddenly looked very sad.  
  
"I'm going to miss the two of you fighting."  
  
Lily raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Oh, every day I'm here I wake up to 'That Potter,' or 'I could just strangle him!' or 'Will you go out with me Evans.'" Lily rolled her eyes, and examined the marks in the table while Alice continued to reminisce. She traced them with her pointer finger, and for a moment, it looked like a skull with a snake for a tongue. She blinked, and the marks looked normal.  
  
". . .And the cart of treats, and the Quidditch game, and-and-"  
  
"It's ok Alice, we still have next year."  
  
"But that's it!! We're leaving Hogwarts after that!" she finally broke down, sobbing on Frank's shoulder. He pat her hair gently, looking up at the ceiling .It was raining hard now, and occasionally silent heat lightning lit the sky. He sighed. He didn't want to leave either: he had no father to go home to.  
  
LJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJ  
  
"Dumbledore, who is the student!?" yelled Minister Wimple.  
  
"For the protection of my students, I cannot tell you." He said calmly, taking out his pensieve. He gently placed the tip of his wand to his forehead, and put a silver wisp in the bowl. For a moment James' and Lily's faces were there clearly, and then Lott appeared, then Snape, then the Minister himself. When Dumbledore looked back up, the bodily Minister was still talking.  
  
"-If you want to keep your position, Dumbledore, I would suggest telling me who this mystery student is immediately!" Dumbledore polished his half-moon glasses. Wimple let out a shaky breath of frustration.  
  
"Very well then. I will expect a response this time tomorrow, or I WILL fire you."  
  
He left Dumbledore to his thoughts.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
Deep in a forest, an emaciated and bedraggled Laura Lott stood surrounded by masked witches and wizards . . .  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
The next day, the students were gone. Dumbledore smiled at the Minister, who was ranting at him. He ate another Lemon Drop.  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
Alice hugged Lily tightly as they got off the Hogwarts Express, still sniffling and tearing up. Even Lily was starting to get emotional.  
  
"Alice, stop! You're making me cry!"  
  
Alice sniffled louder.  
  
"Lily, promise you'll write!"  
  
"I will, I will! Now, get a move on! Your parents are interrogating Frank!" Alice turned around and saw her mother looking at her boyfriend aloofly. She rolled her eyes, said goodbye one last time to Lily, and joined Frank. Lily smiled as the two quickly took each other's hands. Lily looked down at her own: they were holding her luggage and muggle jacket.  
  
Sighing, Lily made her way towards the barrier. Before she reached it a hand grabbed her shoulder.  
  
"Wait, Lily! Mum, this is Lily Evans."  
  
Lily gulped. What was James Potter doing introducing her to his mother!?  
  
She turned around slowly. Her first impression of Mrs. Potter was that she looked tired. Her brown eyes, exactly like James', had bags under them, and her skin was rather sallow. Besides that, she was quite pretty; she had wavy brown hair, was quite tall, and she had laugh lines around her eyes and mouth. Lily realized her hand was extended. She put down her luggage and shook her hand.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Potter."  
  
"The pleasure's all mine. And call me Elizabeth." She smiled kindly at Lily. "Really, I do hate formalities, yet my son seems to think they are necessary, no matter how much I have heard about you!" Lily laughed.  
  
"Do I want to know what he's said?"  
  
"Mum!" said James quickly. She gave him a challenging look.  
  
"Oh, only that you are the kindest, smartest, prettiest girl in all of Hogwarts, and that no matter how many times he asks you to go out with him you still refuse." Lily and James blushed. Elizabeth laughed, and patted James on the arm.  
  
"I'll leave you two to your goodbyes now. Don't do anything stupid, James." He rolled his eyes and chuckled embarrassedly. His mother's face fell a bit, and she turned away quickly. Lily realized she was wearing all black.  
  
"Sorry about that." Said James, shoving his hands in his pockets. "She says I sound exactly like my dad when I laugh." He paused, looking for a distraction. Finding none, he turned back to Lily and stuck his hand out. Hesitantly, she held her own out. His grip was strong, while Lily's barely held on.  
  
"Well, see you next year then."  
  
"Yeah . . .next year."  
  
"I-I'll write you!" Lily laughed at James nervousness.  
  
"Once again, Potter, you succeed in making yourself look completely foolish."  
  
"Well, you're not helping matters!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
He smirked at her. Lily looked down, and realized they were still shaking hands. She instantly pulled back, but Potter held on.  
  
"Let go of my hand Potter!"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not!?!?"  
  
"You have to promise me something." Lily tried pulling her hand away again. James held on.  
  
"Potter! What does my hand have to do with promises!" she said, and kept pulling, practically popping her fingers out of their sockets. He finally grabbed her other hand.  
  
"Lily, listen to me!" she kept pulling for a moment, then stopped.  
  
"Fine, Potter. Make it fast."  
  
"Promise me that you'll write."  
  
"WHAT!" She tugged at her hands with all her might. Apparently, her might was not match for James'.  
  
"I said promise me you'll write! Look, Lily, all I want you to do is write me one ruddy letter. Just do that for me, all right? Please, just one nice, decent letter! I only want one! Please, Lily!" Lily looked at James. He was practically begging her, for goodness knows what reason. She looked at Elizabeth Potter; she was holding a kerchief and smiling at the two. She bowed her head.  
  
"Fine. ONE letter." James reluctantly let his grip loosen. She yanked her hands away, and picked her luggage up. James watched her for a moment, and slowly turned away. He started walking off, and an ashamed Lily yelled "James!"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Could you promise me something?"  
  
"What? Never tell anyone about this?"  
  
"No . . . don't call me dear again."  
  
James laughed. "Are you sure? That seems like a pretty bad exchange-"  
  
"NO, it is a perfectly fair exchange. And, well, could you not do anything stupid?"  
  
"What? But wh-"  
  
"Just . . .try to be more careful, Ok?"  
  
He nodded, and stuck his hands back in his pockets. Lily picked up her things and walked towards the barrier again, but before she stepped through, she looked back at the station. Sirius was being slapped by a 5th year Hufflepuff, Alice was chatting with Frank, and James still stood watching her. She smiled, and stepped through the barrier.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FIN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
GNA: Ok...so it isn't really finished...that would just be sad...*cries* But dang, do I hate letting year six go. . . how long did we work on it, GNL?  
  
GNL: From September on.  
  
GNA: Yeah...*sniffle* I almost can't remember that far back...*shakes head forcefully* Alright, important stuff: it would be nice if those of you who are kind enough to review give us some input; should we put year seven in a different segment or keep it with this one? It would be easier when it comes to chapters, but it might mess up the continuity. Well...this would be a good time to FINALLY give out reviewer thank yous!  
  
THANKS TO:  
  
OTHER PEOPLE WHO DESERVE SOME THANKS FOR THEIR HELP THROUGH YEAR SIX:  
  
Readers J  
  
J.K. Rowling, the mastermind behind the mastermind.  
  
The Dave Matthews Band for writing "The Space Between." Talk about inspiration...here, I'll stick the lyrics in just to be explanatory.  
  
You cannot quit me so quickly  
There's no hope in you for me  
No corner you could squeeze me  
But I got all the time for you, love  
  
The Space Between  
The tears we cry  
Is the laughter keeps us coming back for more  
The Space Between  
The wicked lies we tell  
And hope to keep safe from the pain  
  
But will I hold you again?  
These fickle, fuddled words confuse me  
Like 'Will it rain today?'  
Waste the hours with talking, talking  
These twisted games we're playing  
  
We're strange allies  
With warring hearts  
What wild-eyed beast you be  
The Space Between  
The wicked lies we tell  
And hope to keep safe from the pain  
  
Will I hold you again?  
Will I hold...  
  
Look at us spinning out in  
The madness of a roller coaster  
You know you went off like a devil  
In a church in the middle of a crowded room  
All we can do, my love  
Is hope we don't take this ship down  
  
The Space Between  
Where you're smiling high  
Is where you'll find me if I get to go  
The Space Between  
The bullets in our firefight  
Is where I'll be hiding, waiting for you  
The rain that falls  
Splash in your heart  
Ran like sadness down the window into...  
The Space Between  
Our wicked lies  
Is where we hope to keep safe from pain  
  
Take my hand  
'Cause we're walking out of here  
Oh, right out of here  
Love is all we need here  
  
The Space Between  
What's wrong and right  
Is where you'll find me hiding, waiting for you  
The Space Between  
Your heart and mine  
Is the space we'll fill with time  
The Space Between...  
  
The one downfall to simply reading lyrics; they are sappy and corny- sounding without their tune. *sighs* Ah well, you get the idea....  
  
Also, thanks to GNA sis for her...well...sisness. And the pointing-out of many things the authors wouldn't have caught were it not for her. She should also be thanked for her job as the first-person-to-see-the-chapters-besides- GNL-and-GNA. Your second opinion was actually appreciated. J  
  
Also, thanks to krw313 for her moral support and readiness to guinea-pig the chapters for us...we give you the "Biggest Fan Award." Officially.  
  
Finally, thanks to the other Guava Nancers who mocked, jeered, and otherwise heckled GNA and GNL through this whole process.  
  
Oh, and lets just thank Orlando Bloom for existing.  
  
GNL: And now it is time to thank you! Our lovely reviewers! Don't forget...we are taking a short break to get Year Seven in order...trust me...it needs help at the moment...But until then here is a heartfelt thank you from GNA and GNL.  
  
Thankyous:  
  
J.E.A.R.K. (Erin) Potter- To our loyal reviewer many thanks. We would like to present you with some Guava Passion Juice. Mmmmmmm Guava Passion Juice.....  
  
Jenae- Yay! A new reviewer! Glad you enjoy....our author's notes *crickets: chirp, chirp* Hehe! We offer you some complimentary Guava Passion Juice.  
  
LlamaJ2911- Um well...we updated right now! * Angelic choir sings: They finally updated!* hehehe *sends LlamaJ2911 some Guava Juice by overnight delivery to help her get through homework....bah! homework*  
  
Shocking Sour- *GNA/GNL blown off their feet by your compliments* Wow, thank you. Alas, we are only humble J.K. Rowlings wanna be's.  
  
GNAsis- Than-  
  
lateBloomer04- *GNL mocks GNA* Yeah, GNA is just a great fluff writer uh huh yup.... (we arugh about fluff...literally all the time)  
  
morph- Yeah! Morph! Woo hoo! *I'm kinda hyper* *hums congo line song* We offer thee a bottle of Guava Passion Juice. It's good stuff.  
  
The Lost Guava- Hey! ....yeah...see ya in History class....woo three day weekend! ....we get such long spring breaks don't we?  
  
drunken- *sees new reviewer* Yes! Wooo! New reviewer! hehe...*cough* yeah....um...have some complimentary Guava Passion Juice.  
  
spreadthespit56- Merci beaucoup ma amie! Nous adorons les personnes qui lire notre histories. Nous voudirons offrir toi le juice de goyave!  
  
krw313- Thanks! We really X 41 liked your review! Have 41 guavas!  
  
Cookiegirl90- Hey! Thanks for the reviews! Please accept some Guava Passion Juice courtesy of GNA./GNL ....and...Walmart.....*cough cough*  
  
Ms.Mrpk- :))))))))))))))))) 


	13. Year Seven: Lilys Summer

CHAPTER ONE: LILY'S SUMMER  
  
Lily Evans sat in her room, surrounded by parchment. All of it was covered with a strong, rather sloppy hand. The dates on them spanned from the early days of June to the middle of August, to that very day.  
  
Occasionally, Lily would burst into laughter, or sit with a frown on her face. Many of the letters were simply parables of the happenings of summer, others blatantly honest speeches, others little jokes and quips about school, and still others were thoughts and worries.  
  
It seems James Potter enjoyed sending Lily letters.  
  
HPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHP  
  
"Dearest Lily,  
  
'  
  
When will you send your letter? It's disheartening, never hearing from you—the time drags when I don't have you to bother! Even Sirius hasn't fully occupied my time. It seems he has a new obsession: plots to destroy the Dark Lord. Not that I blame him, some days I want nothing more than to destroy the filthy creature that took so many lives, that completely demolished the world we knew, that took away the wizarding worlds confidence and security-  
  
I'm sorry, Lily. I want my letters to be cheerful and heartening for you, and they end up full of begging, sulking, angst, my undefeatably git-like nature...anything you would find inexcusable. We hear enough of politics these days, besides; it's all the Daily Prophet covers. Or, do you get the Daily Prophet? I don't know the muggle ways of things.  
  
Well, I must go amuse Padfoot. Once again, Lily, PLEASE answer soon. I am counting the hours until I can hear from you!  
  
Very sincerely,  
  
'  
  
James  
  
P.S. What's a vellytision?  
  
Lily smiled at the letter, looking up at the ceiling. She had to admit; having James' letters arriving almost constantly was a good way to keep from being bored. It was as if she always had someone to talk to, even though the con to this was Petunia's incessant spying on her to see if she could snitch one of the letters.  
  
Lily cast about in the papers, glancing over the pointless ones. She was looking for material to write about in her own letter. She had put it off too long already, and every day James' were more desperate and hopeless sounding.  
  
She finally saw one, rather longer than the others, and messier, as if it had been scrawled quickly.  
  
"Dearest, Dearest Lily,  
  
'  
  
You still haven't sent your letter! If you don't hurry, I will have to pay a visit! I'm absolutely certain you wouldn't appreciate that.  
  
Also, I'm sure you don't like reading about things like this (from past experiences), but a few things have bothered me all summer. It's only now that I have the courage to ask you about them.  
  
Firstly, why did you punch Bellatrix Black? I ran out to find you before Remus explained, I'm ashamed to say, but after Prof. McGonogal came in worried I lost my head. I don't know if your mates know about it, but I want, I NEED to know what happened. You would never hurt a person intentionally, unless you were severely provoked. Or, of course, unless it was me.  
  
No matter how much you'd like to deny it, I have gotten to know you very well Lily Evans, simply by chasing after you for my entire Hogwarts career. By knowing you in that small way, I realized that there were a hundred thousand things I DIDN'T know.  
  
I know you have a good arm, a fiery temper, and don't take confrontations well. I know that you are the smartest girl in our year, you are an excellent witch, you are talented, you're insightful, and frankly, you are beautiful, but I do not know anything about YOU; you know, the girl who would laugh with me over something stupid like wiggling ears. Every time I get close to you in that aspect, you end up slapping me or running away.  
  
I need to know why you run from me, besides the many faults I know you could name, and you probably are at this moment. Am I so hated by you that I am not even human anymore? Why are you afraid of getting close to me? I have been trying to get close to you for a quarter of my LIFE, Lily Evans. I may follow after you too closely, but you, dearest, are more stubborn than a mule.  
  
I am very curious about THIS: have you ever paid attention to the good in me? I know that you like SOME things about me, I'm sure of it. I make you laugh, I AM faithful to you despite my mauled facial features, I hate the dark arts along with you, I even let go of my pride and changed for you!  
  
Great. Now I sound like I am inflating my head again. No need to worry, though; you squashed it flat a few months ago. You know what? You are all I think about these days. The ONLY thing I think about. It drives me mad; you are the only one I feel I can talk to now, with these letters I constantly send you. My father used to be like that for me, and now I have YOU Lily. I don't know whether you are more of a replacement for him or something different entirely. I've told you things in these letters I wouldn't have told anyone else, and yet you have this maddening cocoon of silence around you. It's like I am sending letters to the air, and there is not even a breeze in a response.  
  
I must sound insane. Maybe I am. Lily, I now realize that I have become older than anyone, even myself, would have thought possible. I have- changed. Maybe you'll take that into consideration someday, when this insanity has left me and I can see you clearly, finally.  
  
With all the sanity I can muster,  
  
'  
  
James"  
  
Lily sat in silence for several moments, recalling her reaction upon receiving it a week ago. It had been the most honest Potter had ever been, EVER. Even when he talked to her the last day of semester he hadn't been quite that open. Lily hadn't been sure what to make of it. Her, the confidant of James Potter? It was quite a burden, but one she seemed to accustom herself to quickly. Now, a week later, she almost felt . . . Pity for Potter. She was starting to understand why he acted the way he did . . .  
  
Soon enough Lily was scribbling on a parchment, her face rather tired- looking but set.  
  
LJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJLJ  
  
An hour later, a knock came at Lily's door, and Amaryllis Evans walked in quietly. She saw the letters spread out over her daughter's bed, and Lily herself absorbed in writing. She glanced down at them, reading, "I must sound insane. Maybe I am. Lily, I now realized I have become older . . .P.S. What's a vellytision." Lily glanced up, and saw her mother reading the letters. She jumped up and gathered them, quickly tapping them on her desk and shoving them in a drawer.  
  
"Mother, that is an invasion of privacy!" said Lily, blushing slightly. "Really, don't walk in like that!"  
  
"Sorry dear, but it's time for tea. I've called you twice already, but you weren't responding. Obviously, there were things of more interest for you." She smiled at her daughter, who blushed an even deeper shade of pink. "Who is this . . .James?"  
  
"Mum!"  
  
"I'm just curious, dear. I don't want you getting involved with any of the wrong people, and if you DID like a boy you could just tell me-"  
  
"Mother, I do not l-LIKE him!!"  
  
Amaryllis merely smiled and sat on the cleared bed.  
  
"You know, it has been a while since I have talked to you, especially about boys. The last time I remember doing that was when Petunia started mentioning that Dursley boy." She laughed at Lily's face. "Lily, dear, show some more consideration for your sister's feelings. Really, what is wrong with Vernon? He is perfectly acceptable."  
  
"But that's it! All he has going for him, besides that, is a large amount of fat!"  
  
"Ah. I see. You find this James to be much more . . .'acceptable.'"  
  
"NO! That's not what I meant!"  
  
"Tell me what he looks like, darling." Lily let out a breath of frustrated air, and sat down in front of her mother.  
  
"Fine. Even if it is a painful process-"  
  
"You don't have to defend yourself, dear."  
  
"Right." She sighed again. "Well, he has horrendously messy black hair, and he has the annoying habit of messing it up to look like he just got off his broom after Quidditch practice-"Mrs. Evans raised her eyebrows. "-You know, the magical sport."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"And he is slightly above average height, with brown eyes."  
  
"And.?"  
  
"And what."  
  
"Is he handsome?"  
  
Lily hesitated, biting her lip, and said, "Yes." Amaryllis smiled.  
  
"What is he like?"  
  
"Mother, do I really have to do this?"  
  
"Yes, or I will ground you." Lily rolled her eyes, but didn't speak up.  
  
"Well, how are his grades?"  
  
"Good."  
  
"As good as yours?"  
  
"Not quite."  
  
"Is he very intellectual, then?"  
  
"No! He's quite the joker."  
  
"Well what are his friends like?"  
  
"The same, except that Sirius is even worse than he is, Remus is much more subdued, and Peter, well, I don't know about Peter. He is the odd one out, really."  
  
"Why is he writing you?" said Mrs. Evans quickly. Lily glanced up, but looked down at the floor again.  
  
"He likes to?" Lily's mother laughed.  
  
"I think it's more likely he likes YOU. It looked like you yourself were enjoying writing a letter!" Lily went red.  
  
"Oh, no need to be embarrassed. I remember what it was like for me, when I first met your father. He was quite annoying, actually! Always following me around with flowers and chocolates . . .those were the good old days . . ." She shook her head, and continued on. "It would be nice to have a few men in the house again. Everything has been so calm; a prankster would be refreshing. I have to admit; Vernon isn't the greatest converser!"  
  
Lily laughed quietly. "Well, James certainly can talk. Maybe he talks to me so much because-"she stopped suddenly.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Lily opened her mouth to speak, but Petunia barged in.  
  
"Lily, tea is getting cold because of you-oh! Mother, what are you doing in here?"  
  
"Just talking with your sister for a moment. But you're right, Petunia, we do need to have our tea. No use in wasting it. Could you just give us a minute, love?"  
  
Petunia glanced at Lily distastefully, and nodded. She walked out of the room, glancing back several times as she went downstairs. Mrs. Evans settled herself again.  
  
"Well, what were you saying Lily?"  
  
"I-well . . ."  
  
Amaryllis waited patiently.  
  
"He, well, he lost-he lost his father this past year."  
  
Lily sat watching her mother's face. Her eyes had gone watery; she cried at the slightest things, it seemed.  
  
"Because of . . .because of troubles in the wizarding world. And I can . . .understand that."  
  
"Oh, the poor dear."  
  
"No, don't say that, mother."  
  
"I shouldn't, but-"  
  
"Mum, he's talked about it, and I think he's-just, don't say you pity him, please."  
  
She nodded and stood up, and Lily got up also, still a little pink.  
  
"Now Lily, if you want to keep writing, I can bring your tea up here."  
  
"No, I'll come down."  
  
"Alright then, dear." She dabbed at her eyes a moment. "Unfortunately, now that you have told me this, I will have to meet him!"  
  
"Mum!"  
  
"Maybe once we go to that one place-what's it called? Diagon Alley. Yes, write him and tell him I want to meet him . . ."  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
The next morning, Lily awoke to a hot August morning, and an owl tapping at her window. She slid the window opened and let the bird in, as it dropped a thick and formal letter on the wooden floor. She picked it up and looked at it; it was the yearly Hogwarts letter, but it seemed unusually thick and heavy. She slit it open, and pulled out several papers, 2 the usual, but another set inscribed with:  
  
"We are pleased to announce that Lily Evans has been chosen for the position of Head Girl at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Professor Dumbledore has chosen you on account of your merit as a student and leading role as a member of the wizarding society, and responsibility to your fellow peers. Enclosed is a list of duties and responsibilities requested of you during your seventh year at Hogwarts. . ."  
  
Lily sat down and clutched at her heart, shocked.  
  
"I am Head Girl!!!!!" She glanced back down at the letter, going over the remainder of the letter, and groaned when she came to her "responsibilities." They ranged from helping the first years out, to giving out passwords, to giving out detentions. All-in-all, it was quite a list of chores. Lily sighed: obviously, this year was going to be quite a way to end her time at Hogwarts. She got up then, racing down the stairs and calling for Petunia and her mother . . .  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP 


	14. Year Seven: James' Summer

CHAPTER TWO: JAMES' SUMMER  
  
James Potter sat on a bench behind his home at Godric Hollow, England. Around him were bits of half-used parchments, some with frustrated blots and others scribbled out completely. He was bent over one last piece, and holding it up, whooped triumphantly. He ran inside, gave a large tawny owl the paper, and ran to his room grinning.  
  
He had sent his first letter to Lily Evans.  
  
HPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHP  
  
Weeks later, James Potter sat absorbed in a letter from Lily Evans.  
  
"Dear James,  
  
'  
  
After much debate I have decided to honor your request completely, with a novel-length letter of no importance.  
  
. . .Truthfully, I have been bored to my wits end, with only my obnoxious sister Petunia and mother for company. Even the family cat won't let me pet him-seems Brutus doesn't like magic!"  
  
James smiled.  
  
". . .Then again, neither does Petunia. I don't know what's worse-being an only child and spoiled, or have siblings and dealing with THAT. You don't know how lucky you are to be by yourself, probably in some great big house in the country, surrounded by family and admirers."  
  
James smiled bemusedly, glancing over to see Sirius attempting to fish while his mother stood by laughing.  
  
". . . Hopefully, though, your summer hasn't been quite as dull as mine. The only place I've gone is Glasgow, to visit Alice, and that was for a week. Besides that, the only company I have are your letters, which are certainly . . .numerous enough. I'm actually quite curious: did you get Sirius to write some of this? 'Dearest, dearest Lily!?!?' 'I count the days until I can see you again!?' Either you are horrible at writing anything REMOTELY romantic or you are pulling a prank. I still expect one of these letters to explode in my face, or get a howler, or something! They all seem rather too calm. Maybe you have both been too absorbed in worrying over the dark Lord to even think about pranks lately . . .what is the world coming to . . .  
  
Well Potter, I am now out of topics to amuse myself with. I may have to answer you questions. They are the only things more numerous than the letters themselves, which I seem to get more of every day. Is there any chance you could simply send me one letter a day? My sister Petunia keeps trying to steal them and read them, and she actually succeeded once. That was quite a day. Unfortunately for me, it was a "Sirius" Letter . . ."  
  
James, wincing, skipped ahead a little, flipping through another page of neat writing. He found a part that caught his eye, written in a strange type of ink.  
  
". . .I only realized how little 'pure-blood' wizards know of the muggle world when I read back over your letters. Every other question is 'what's this,' or 'what's that,' or 'how does this work,' Tsk Tsk, Potter, you should know curiosity killed the cat . . ."  
  
James muttered, "I'm not a cat" under his breath. Another topic to discuss in his next letter . . .  
  
". . .To enrich your muggle experience, I wrote in a muggle pen. Truthfully, I also wrote like this because my inkwell is currently empty. Really, you send me too many questions . . ."  
  
And you answer too many of them. Thought James. Feeling bored after a few minutes of Muggle history, he flipped another page, the last few.  
  
". . .Oh, also—James, sometimes I do think you are insane. Why would a person ever keep following after me for so many years? I am no different from anyone else. I am perfectly human. I think that maybe I seem more than that to you, that I am some great enigma you can worship and love . . ."  
  
James paused for a moment, but shook his head and continued on.  
  
". . .After reading these I hate to say it, but it's true. Hearing you talk so honestly in your letters now, I think that . . . I was wrong. Maybe you do actually care about me in some small way; I'm not just a piece of inhumanity. I also have to say, I understood you perfectly in your one letter, about . . .Bellatrix and so forth. I think it is time I gave you some answers to these questions, no matter how embarrassing. I don't know. You confuse me. One moment you make me laugh, the next you make me scream in frustration, like right now.  
  
First of all, Bellatrix. There was a prefect meeting, and we discussed the massacre. I was going to class, and she started to talk about your father and you. She said that your father should have died SOONER. I couldn't stand it, the injustice of it! I'm sure your father was a wonderful person, and that he was a great wizard and respectable, and I wish I could have met him. But, she said he should have died sooner because . . .we were getting along better. It hurt my pride terribly, but it also hurt yours. Maybe that's why I thought it was so unjust. You were not there to defend yourself, and I was being degraded. No, I didn't mean that. You are not degrading to me. Of course not; you are one of the most popular, handsome boys in Hogwarts, and you want to go out with me. . ."  
  
James beamed at the paper.  
  
". . . And James, I have been dwelling on something also. Do you remember when you bared your heart and soul to me beside the lake? Of course you do. Well, you said that I was afraid. I was afraid. James, I want you to know- It's true. . ."  
  
James grinned: she could remember that! She could remember that as well as he could. His heart lifted a bit, and he smiled.  
  
". . . You know, now I am in doubt as to whether I should even send this letter. But, I needed to repay you for what you have told me. These days, everything is changing, and even old grudges and walls must be broken down. Unfortunately for you, there's a whole continent you need to cross before getting anywhere near me! No need to lose hope though—as long as you don't do anything stupid or ignorant, or arrogant, or obnoxious—yes, you are perfectly acceptable. I'm happy to see that there is much more to you than was first suspected. You have seen a lot, and it hasn't killed you yet.  
  
I best end this letter, before I get more obnoxiously emotional. Well then Potter, my best wishes for the New Year at Hogwarts!  
  
Sincerely,  
  
'  
  
Lily  
  
P.S.: My mother wants to meet you at Diagon Alley. When are you going for your school supplies? I need a reply shortly, but I doubt you would keep me waiting!"  
  
James smiled again, and quickly pulled out the nearest parchment and quill.  
  
"Dearest, Dearest, Dearest . . . damn. I lost track...Lily,  
  
'  
  
Your letter was wonderful, Lily, perfectly wonderful. And of course, I will not keep you waiting! I am planning on going to Diagon Alley the twentieth, with Sirius, Remus, and Peter-"  
  
Here his quill stopped, as his mother called from the lake. He walked over, and saw her holding a thick packet of parchments.  
  
"What is it?" he said as he walked outside. His mother was beaming at the papers, scanning over them happily.  
  
"Oh, look James, look!"  
  
She handed him two of the parchments.  
  
"We are pleased to inform James Potter he has been chosen as head boy this term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry..."  
  
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP  
  
GNA: Yeah, there aren't going to be true reviewer thank you's anymore, at least not until the last chapter of this year (which is at least 20 chapters away (). However, I would still like to thank everyone for sticking with FOTM despite how boring it is at the moment! 


	15. Year Seven: Diagon Alley's Secret

CHAPTER THREE: DIAGON ALLEY'S SECRET  
  
Sirius and James were walking through Diagon Alley, working their way against the crowds. James was expecting Lily shortly, and didn't want to keep her waiting. Sirius dragged him in and out of shops, attempting to divert his attention from the pending meeting with Lily, but it was like pushing against a brick wall.  
  
Unfortunately, the mad rush to get school supplies was physically working against the two also, and soon they found themselves shoved into a dark alleyway.  
  
"Where are we now?" James asked, looking around at the dingy buildings.  
  
The air was shockingly cold and damp compared to the crowded street; the two looked at each other and shrugged. They ambled slowly down the alley searching for a familiar sight. Dark looking witches and wizards hurried past, their cloaks drawn up tight around their faces, glaring at anything that moved.  
  
One such witch, frail looking, with her hood pulled up tightly over her dark hair, walked by and ran into Sirius' shoulder. As she turned to apologize, Sirius' eyes filled with rage. The witch's own pale blue eyes grew large at the sight of the two Hogwarts students, and she muttered a quick apology before hurrying away.  
  
Sirius stared after her a moment, an angry look still etched on his face, then turned and began to follow her.  
  
"Where are you going?" asked James.  
  
"Don't you know who that was?" spat Sirius.  
  
"No--what are you talking about?" responded James, completely amazed at Sirius' behavior.  
  
The cloaked figure glanced back over her shoulder, casting her sharp profile into view. James felt a sudden surge of rage overtake him as he recognized the figure hidden within the cloak; the pale, bony face, sharp and pale eyes, hair that was messier than it had ever been at Hogwarts...  
  
He began to plow his way through the crowd after her, beside Sirius. She sped up, weaving in and out of the crowd of shifty-looking magical folk. James and Sirius followed her down the street, which was growing progressively darker and the buildings around it rougher, but she was going too fast and Prongs and Padfoot didn't know where they were. Further down the street their quarry ducked into an alleyway, and the two sped up and jogged towards the entrance of the alley, afraid of losing her.  
  
"Wait a minute, we've past it!" said James, skidding to a halt. Sirius continued running down the street for another twenty yards before stopping himself. He stared at the buildings confusedly.  
  
"How did we pass it?"  
  
"We couldn't have." Said James, bewildered. "It just disappeared." They stood there, staring at the dripping wall for several minutes. James blinked after a moment; something was strangely familiar about the alley...  
  
"Are you lost, my dears?" asked a misty voice behind them.  
  
"No, not re-"James began, but he was cut off as an old thin woman yanked him towards one of the dilapidated buildings. Sirius followed after him, his face struggling between pure fury and amusement.  
  
"How would you like me to read your future?" she asked, pulling him through the doorway, which was hanging off of one hinge and running into the sign by the door, which read "See Into Your Future . . . TODAY!"  
  
"Hand reading? Crystal Ball? Aura color? Contacting the spirits? I can do it all, you know!"  
  
"No, my friend and I really must be go-"he stopped as a sneezing fit overtook him. The shabby shop smelled sickeningly of incense and perfumes. Thankfully, the light change was very little; the room was small and close, crowded with cheap pictures and relics, and led off to another room, blocked by a beaded curtain. The old lady shoved them through it, and they found themselves in a similar room, except this one had four chairs around a circular table and a crystal ball.  
  
She shoved James onto an oversized pouf, and Sirius sat down beside him in what looked like a piece of melted plastic. The "seer" wrapped a blindingly sparkly shawl around her shoulders and threw a similarly bangled scarf over her head, and took a seat across from the two.  
  
James glanced at Sirius, wondering how much the lady would try to con out of them. True seers were very rare, and always famous, but there were always those who tried to make a few extra galleons by cheating the gullible. The gypsy woman gazed into her crystal ball.  
  
"I see you are a Quidditch fan." She said to Sirius (whom happened to be wearing a Beater sweatshirt underneath his robes). "You have talent, my friend." He rolled his eyes, and Prongs glanced at his watch.  
  
"I see you have an exciting future ahead of you."  
  
"As a Quidditch player?" asked Sirius boredly, as though he were only slightly aware or amused by the situation.  
  
"No, oh no . . . I see water... yes! A pirate will be your fate!"  
  
"A Pirate?" Sirius looked almost thoughtful.  
  
"His name is . . . Scurvy dog."  
  
"Scurvy dog." Repeated Sirius disbelievingly, his almost-enthusiasm disappearing. James smirked at him.  
  
"Arrr, matey!" he laughed, "Be I yer first mate?"  
  
"YOU will not be a pirate!" said the "seer" quickly, turning to James.  
  
"Oh, really? I'm going to be a cowboy?"  
  
She gazed into the crystal ball, which looked surprisingly like a bowling ball, before suddenly gasping and falling back in her chair so dramatically it nearly tipped over.  
  
"Oh no, my dear boy—oh no!"  
  
"What is it?" asked Sirius eagerly "Is he going to be my first mate after all?!"  
  
Her lips moved, but no sound came out.  
  
"I'm going to go mute?" asked James.  
  
"He's going to own a chipmunk farm in Belmonpan, Belize?"  
  
"I saw NO future for you, oh no, but a GRIM! A GRIM STANDING BY YOUR SIDE!" she finally cried.  
  
They stared at her, finding no words to iterate their annoyance or surprise that someone could be this fake.  
  
"Right." Said James, "A big black dog, is that it?"  
  
She nodded faintly. James glanced meaningfully at Sirius, another smirk pulling at his face. "Was it on a pirate ship?"  
  
"I hardly think your death is a laughing matter!" responded the old woman.  
  
"Quite so." Agreed James, standing up. "But we're late for a meeting, so if you'll excuse us we need to be going."  
  
Her face immediately beamed at him, and she grabbed his arm with an iron force over the table, knocking over the crystal ball in her rush. Sirius winced as it fell with a thunk on his foot.  
  
"No, no, don't go! I-I see a hope in your future also, yes! A bright light!" she simpered at James. She amended these equally dismal words by saying "And-and plenty of money, so please, do spare three galleons for an old lady's visions of better--and richer--times to come?"  
  
Sirius put the bowling ball back on the table. The lady glanced from James to Sirius, then back again.  
  
"Three galleons! Each! The life of a pirate is filled with treasure!"  
  
"I am not paying you three galleons for telling me I would be a dog with scurvy that chases James around!" exclaimed Sirius, wincing as he put his foot down gingerly. She shot him a very dirty look before looking at James with a bit of a maniacal gleam in her eye.  
  
"However," said James quickly, hoping to prevent something very unfortunate happening to their more useful body parts (namely, their heads), "If you would give us directions to Diagon Alley, we would be more than happy to pay you six galleons. In fact, I'll throw in an extra galleon for any damages to the, er, crystal ball." Sirius glowered at him, mouthing "Damage to the crystal ball?!"  
  
"Yes, that is an excellent suggestion, Mr., er . . ." the lady trailed off.  
  
"Why don't you look in your crystal ball?" said Sirius mockingly. He muttered under his breath "all you'll see is my foot embedded in it."  
  
So after some misty-voiced instructions, including "follow the seven stars to the intersection of life," and "Eugepae Alley is the path you must take for freedom," the boys found themselves finally exiting the shop, their pockets not jangling as much.  
  
HPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHP  
  
"What street is this?" asked Sirius a minute later, looking around at the dirt-caked facades of the houses.  
  
"I think she said it was called Eugapae Alley." (pronounced Oohguhpie)  
  
"What? Is that cave troll for 'Look, a pie!'"  
  
"Actually, it comes from Latin, and means 'hurray.'" Said James, looking up to check they were at the right place.  
  
"James, mate, that's a load of tosh—you don't even take Latin."  
  
He said "Lily does." Before turning left and heading towards the "bright light of the Diagon aura." Sirius shook his shaggy head in disgust as he caught up with James.  
  
"She takes Latin?"  
  
"Yeah. She taught me some—didn't seem to think it was fair if she insulted me in it."  
  
Sirius rolled his eyes.  
  
"Sounds more like you just talk to her in it." He said, as they walked out into Diagon Alley, where many of their friends, including Lily and Peter, were waiting for them.  
  
"You know, I wouldn't be surprised if you wrote love letters in Latin—it would have simply swept her off her feet." He said sarcastically, but he was looking at James as if he wouldn't be surprised if it were true. He didn't notice Lily standing in front of him, wearing the look of one who is trying to be extremely patient but failing, until he nearly ran into her.  
  
"Epistulas in Latin non est." (The letters aren't in Latin) said Lily, with an unusually superior look on her face. Sirius looked up sheepishly at her.  
  
"Oh hello Lily!" he said cheerfully. "Erm, what does that mean anyway?"  
  
"It means you are a stupid blighter in danger of getting your head cursed off." James smirked, but a true smile crept on his face when he looked at Lily. She was smiling too, and at him for his comment.  
  
"If you two would stop staring at each other we do have some school supplies to get." he retorted.  
  
James grinned guiltily but Lily shot him a warning look.  
  
"Since when are you interested in school supplies?" she asked.  
  
"Since I ran out of Filibuster Fireworks." he replied. Lily rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well, we have to go find my mom first. She wandered off somewhere with Alice."  
  
"How about you two go find her?" suggested Padfoot immediately, an evil grin on his face.  
  
"Where do you have to go all of a sudden?" James asked, feigning suspicion.  
  
"Nowhere, but you two do. The rest of us will be at Zonko's."  
  
Some of the girls in the group started to protest, but Sirius was already dragging them towards a small shop, where sparks and smoke were issuing from the door. James watched, amused, for a minute before realizing Lily's bright red hair was bobbing away from him in the opposite direction.  
  
He jogged to catch up, realizing he was quite winded as he did.  
  
"You seem tired." said Lily lightly as he came to a walk beside her.  
  
"No," he said, pausing to take a large breath, "I'm just a little—"  
  
"—Tired," finished Lily. "Really, James, it sounds, and looks, like you've run a marathon."  
  
She glanced to his hair for a moment, but her eyes didn't rest on his face. They continued to walk down the street in this fashion, James asking about Lily's mother and Lily asking about James'.  
  
"So how are we supposed to spot her?" asked James at one point, and Lily shrugged.  
  
"Well, she looks a little like me and a little like Petunia—"  
  
James laughed.  
  
"Well, what am I supposed to say?"  
  
He opened his mouth, but shut it again. Lily finally glanced over at him for a moment, but looked away as he tried to meet her eyes. Hurriedly, she changed the conversation.  
  
"So . . . what were you doing down a dingy little alley? Racing Sirius, or something equally idiotic?"  
  
"Surprisingly, no. We were shoved down there, when we tried to reach you, and we saw—"He stopped, not sure of whether to go on.  
  
"Who did you see?" Lily sounded worried, and suspicious. James paused for another second, but said,  
  
"Lott."  
  
He couldn't tell what Lily was thinking; her face hadn't changed a bit, and she was still searching for her mother as the street got quieter and quieter. After a minute more of walking, they were alone on the street, passing by less-visited shops. Finally, she took a breath and said "I'm not surprised."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm not surprised you saw that prat down some deserted alleyway, after last year."  
  
James nodded in agreement. "That's the half of it, though. When Sirius and I ran after her, rather stupid, I admit, she ran down another street, and it disappeared once we passed it."  
  
Lily nodded. "But that couldn't have taken more than five minutes. You were at least 15 minutes late."  
  
"That's the seers fault!"  
  
"You talked to a seer?" laughed Lily, whom had a deep dislike of the subject.  
  
"Of course, she wasn't actually a seer—she thought Sirius was going to become a pirate, of all things . . ."  
  
And thus James launched into the story of the grimy shop and old lady, Lily's happy laughter ringing on the deserted street. That was the way Amaryllis found them, walking by the shop she was in, examining a book on Magical Cooking. She immediately put the book down, calling out to Lily as she passed.  
  
"Lily Evans, aren't you even going to say hello to your poor mugger mother?"  
  
Lily and James stopped, both laughing a little at the word "mugger."  
  
"It's muggle, mum, and hello!" said Lily cheerfully, walking to her mother, who was eyeing James curiously.  
  
"Is that him?" she whispered to Lily.  
  
"Yes, mum." Whispered back Lily.  
  
"Well, introduce me!"  
  
"Oh, alright. James, this is my mum. Mum, this is James Potter."  
  
James shook Mrs. Evan's extended hand, smiling charmingly and saying "Nice to meet you! I've only heard the best."  
  
"I have heard quite a bit about you also, Mr. Potter!" she started, and Lily's face blanched.  
  
"Oh, don't be silly dear. You really think I wouldn't find out something with all those letters he sends?" This time, both their faces blanched. Amaryllis smiled. "Then again, word-of-mouth is much more effective, and I do say, he looks just as handsome as you made him sound."  
  
James was torn between being shocked or happy, and the confusion must have shown on his face, as Mrs. Evans laughed lightly.  
  
"It seems to me you are quite misleading to James, Lily! I didn't know it was in my daughter to say such wonderful things to me, and then pretend innocence!"  
  
James suddenly realized where Lily's personality came from. Thankfully, the others had come looking for them when they had taken more than enough time, and were walking down the lane towards the embarrassed Lily and James. James said "Excuse me, Mrs. Evans, Lily," and raced towards his comrades. Once he was out of earshot, which took less than a second, Amaryllis turned to her daughter.  
  
"I quite approve, dear." She said with a wink. Lily glared at her mother.  
  
"There is nothing to approve!"  
  
"Of course there is. He's standing right there, isn't he? Or do my eyes trick me into thinking there's another nice, funny, smart boy with impossibly messy black hair on this street?"  
  
Lily looked at her mother, to James, then back again, before sighing.  
  
"Mum, do you think you could try not to drop any more hints while he is within a 10 mile radius?" asked Lily tersely.  
  
"Only if you promise to try and be nice while I am within that 10 mile range." She retorted back quickly.  
  
"Fine! As long as you don't embarrass me any more than you already have."  
  
Mrs. Evans smiled serenely, and walked towards the group.  
  
"Very well, dear. I wonder if James knows I have read some of the letters . . ."  
  
HPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHP  
  
GNA: Ta-da! The much more exciting chapter three! I never read through to check for missed grammatical errors and the like, but considering how long GNL and I fought over this one it should be set! Enjoy, and thanks to everyone for sticking with FOTM despite the lack of thank you's! 


End file.
